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HISTORICAL RECORDS
BRITISH ARMY.
PREPARED FOR PUBLICATION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
ADJUTANT-GENERAL.
THE SIXTH,
OR
ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT
OF FOOT.
LONDON:
Printed by Wirtram Crowes and Sons,
14, Charing Cross,
GENERAL ORDERS,
HORSE-GUARDS,
let January, 1836.
His Majesty has been pleased to command,
that, with a view of doing the fullest justice to Regi-
ments, as well as to Individuals who have distin-
guished themselves by their Bravery in Action with
the Enemy, an Account of the Services of every Regi-
ment in the British Army shall be published under
the superintendence and direction of the Adjutant-
General; and that this Account shall contain the
following particulars: viz.,
The Period and Circumstances of the Ori-
ginal Formation of the Regiment; The Stations at
which it has been from time to time employed; The
Battles, Sieves, and other Military Operations, in
which it has been engaged, particularly specifying
any Achievement it may have performed, and the
Colours, Trophies, &c., it may have captured from
the Enemy.
The Names of the Officers and the number of
Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates, Killed or
Wounded by the Enemy, specifying the Place and
Date of the Action.
a?
GENERAL ORDERS.
The Names of those Officers, who, in con-
sideration of their Gallant Services and Meritorious
Conduct in Engagements with the Enemy, have been
distinguished with Titles, Medals, or other Marks of
His Majesty’s gracious favour.
The Names of all such Officers, Non-Com-
missioned Officers and Privates as may have specially
signalized themselves in Action.
And,
The Badges and Devices which the Regiment
may have been permitted to bear, and the Causes
on account of which such Badges or Devices, or any
other Marks of Distinction, have been granted.
By Command of the Right Honourable
GENERAL LORD HILL,
Commanding-in- Chief.
Joun MaAcpDonaLp,
Adjutant-General,
n con-
torious
e been :
me PREFACE.
-Com- :
ecially .
Tne character and credit of the British Army must chiefly
; depend upon the zeal and ardour, by which all who enter
‘ into its service are animated, and consequently it is of the
siment highest importance that any measure calculated to excite the
auses 3 spirit of emulation, by which alone great and gallant actions
r any ie
are achieved, should be adopted.
Nothing can more fully tend to the accomplishment of this
desirable object, than a full display of the noble deeds with
which the Military History of our country abounds. To hold
forth these bright examples to the imitation of the youthful
soldier, and thus to incite him to emulate the meritorious
conduct of those who have preceded him in their honourable
career, are among the motives that have given rise to the
present publication.
The operations of the British Troops are, indeed, announced
in the ‘ London Gazette,’ from whence they are transferred
into the public prints: the achievements of our armies are thus
made known at the time of their occurrence, and receive the
tribute of praise and admiration to which they are entitled.
On extraordinary occasions, the Houses of Parliament have
been in the habit of conferring on the Commanders, and the
PREFACE,
Officers and Troops acting under their orders, expressions of
approbation and of thanks for their skill and bravery, and these
testimonials, confirmed by the high honour of their Sovereign’s
Approbation, constitute the reward which the soldier most
highly prizes.
It has not, however, until late years, been the practice (which
appears to have long prevailed in some of the Continental
armies) for British Regiments to keep regular records of their
services and achievements. Hence some difficulty has been
experienced in obtaining, particularly from the old Regiments,
an authentic account of their origin and subsequent services.
This defect will now be remedied, in consequence of His
Majesty having been pleased to command, that every Regiment
shall in future keep a full and ample record of its services at
home and abroad.
From the materials thus collected, the country will hence-
forth derive information as to the difficulties and privations
which chequer the career of those who embrace the military
profession. In Great Britain, where so large a number of
persons are devoted to the active concerns of agriculture,
manufactures, and commerce, and where these pursuits have,
for so long a period, been undisturbed by the presence of war,
which few other countries have escaped, comparatively little
is known of the vicissitudes of active service, and of the
casualties of climate, to which, even during peace, the British
Troops are exposed in every part of the globe, with little or
no interval of repose.
In their tranquil enjoyment of the blessings which the
> COC Oo 8S
ressions of
, and these
Sovereign's
ldier most
‘ice (which
ontinental
ls of their
’ has been
‘egiments,
ervices.
ce of His
Regiment
ervices at
ill hence-
privations
p military
mber of
iculture,
its have,
of war,
ely little
H of the
e British
little or
ich the
PREFACE.
country derives from the industry and the enterprise of the agri-
culturist and the trader, its happy inhabitants may be supposed
not often to reflect on the perilous duties of the soldier and
the sailor,—on their sufferings,—and on the sacrifice of valu-
able life, by which so many national benefits are obtained
and preserved.
The conduct of the British Troops, their valour, and endur-
ance, have shone conspicuously under great and trying diffi-
culties ; and their character has been established in Continental
warfare by the irresistible spirit with which they have effected
debarkations in spite of the most formidable opposition, and
by the gallantry and steadiness with which they have main
tained their advantages against superior numbers.
In the official Reports made by the respective Commanders,
ample justice has generally been done to the gallant exertions
of the Corps employed; but the details of their services, and
of acts of individual bravery, can only be fully given in the
Annals of the various Regiments.
These Records are now preparing for publication, under
His Majesty’s special authority, by Mr. Ricuarp Cannon,
Principal Clerk of the Adjutant-General’s Office ; and while
the perusal of them cannot fail to be useful and interesting to
military men of every rank, it is considered that they will also
afford entertainment and information to the general reader,
particularly to those who may have served in the Army, or
who have relatives in the Service.
There exists in the breasts of most of those who have served,
or are serving, in the Army, an Esprit de Corps—an attach-
PREFACE,
ment to every thing belonging to their Regiment; to such
persons a narrative of the services of their own Corps cannot
fail to prove interesting. Authentic accounts of the actions
of the great, —the valiant,--the loyal, have always been of
paramount interest with a brave and civilised people. Great
Britain has produced a race of heroes who, in moments of
danger and terror, have stood, “ firm as the rocks of their
native shore;’’ and when half the World has been arrayed
against them, they have fought the battles of their Country
with unshaken fortitude. It is presumed that a record of
achievements in war,—victories so complete and surprising,
gained by our countrymen,—our brothers—our fellow-citizens
in arms,—a record which revives the memory of the brave,
and brings their gallant deeds before us, will certainly prove
acceptable to the public.
Biographicai memoirs of the Colonels and other distinguished
Officers, will be introduced in the Records of their respective
Regiments, and the Honorary Distinctions which have, from
time to time, been conferred upon each Regiment, as testifying
the value and importance of its services, will be faithfully
set forth.
As aconvenient mode of Publication, the Record of each
Regiment will be printed in a distinct number, so that when
the whole shall be completed, the Parts may be bound up in
numerical succession.
it; to such
rps cannot
the actions
ys been of
le. Great
moments of
ks of their
en arrayed
ir Country
. record of
surprising,
ow-citizens
the brave,
uinly prove
tinguished
respective
ave, from
s testifying
faithfully
of each
hat when
nd up in
INTRODUCTION
TO
THE INFANTRY.
Tue natives of Britain have, at all periods, been
celebrated for innate courage and unshaken firmness,
and the national superiority of the British troops
over those of other countries has been evinced in
the midst of the most imminent perils. History con-
tains so many proofs of extraordinary acts of bravery,
that no doubts can be raised upon the facts which
are recorded. It must therefore be admitted, that
the distinguishing feature of the British soldier is
InrrePpipity. This quality was evinced by the
inhabitants of England when their country was
invaded by Julius Cesar ‘vith a Roman army, on
which occasion the undaunted Britons rushed into
the sea to attack the Roman soldiers as they de-
scended from their ships; and, although their dis-
cipline and arms were inferior to those of their
adversaries, yet their fierce and dauntless bearing
intimidated the flower of the Roman troops, in-
cluding Cesar’s favourite tenth legion. Their arms
consisted of spears, short swords, and other weapons
of rude construction. They had chariots, to the
axles of which were fastened sharp pieces of iron
b
2 INTRODUCTION TO
resembling scythe-blades, and infantry 11 long
chariots resembling waggons, who alighted and
fought on foot, and for change of ground, pursuit,
or retreat, sprang into the chariot and drove off
with the speed of cavalry. These inventions were,
however, unavailing against Cesar’s legions: in
the course of time a military system, with dis-
cipline and subordination, was introduced, and
British courage, being thus regulated, was exerted
to the greatest advantage; a full development of
the national character followed, and it shone forth
in all its native brilliancy.
The military force of the Anglo-Saxons consisted
principally of infantry: Thanes, and other men of
property, however, fought on horseback. The
infantry were of two classes, heavy and light.
The former carried large shields armed with spikes,
long broad swords and spears; and the latter
were armed with swords or spears only. They had
also men armed with clubs, others with battle-axes
and javelins.
The feudal troops established by William the
Conqueror, consisted (as already stated in the Intro-
duction to the cavalry) almost entirely of horse;
but when the warlike barons and knights, with their
trains of tenants and vassals, took the field, a pro-
portion of men appeared on foot, and, although
these were of inferior degree, they proved stout-
i long
ited and
, pursuit,
lrove off
ms were,
ions: in
vith dis-
ed, and
; exerted
ment of
ne forth
consisted
- men of
. The
f light.
spikes,
latter
ey had
le-axes
am the
e Intro-
horse ;
h their
a pro-
hough
stout-
THE INFANTRY. 3
hearted Britons of stanch fidelity. When stipen-
diary troops were employed, infantry always con-
stituted a considerable portion of the military force ;
and this arme has since acquired, in every quarter
of the globe, a celebrity never exceeded by the
armies of any nation at any period.
The weapons carried by the infantry, during the
several reigns succeeding the Conquest, were bows
and arrows, half-pikes, lances, halberds, various
kinds of battle-axes, swords, and daggers. Armour
was worn on the head and body, and in course of
time the practice became general for military men
to be so completely cased in steel, that it was
almost impossible to slay them.
The introduction of the use of gunpowder in the
destructive purposes of war, in the early part of the
fourteenth century, produced a change in the arms
and equipment of the infantry-soldier. Bows and
arrows gave place to various kinds of fire-arms, but
British archers continued formidable adversaries ;
and owing to the inconvenient construction and
imperfect bore of the fire-arms when first introduced,
a body of men, well trained in the use of the bow
from their youth, was considered a valuable acqui-
sition to every army, even as late as the sixteenth
century.
During a great part of the reign of Queen Eliza-
beth each company of infantry usually consisted of
b 2
4 INTRODUCTION TO
men armed five different ways; in every hundred
men forty were ‘ men-at-arms,” and sixty “ shot ;”
the ‘“‘ men-at-arms” were ten halberdiers, or battle-:
axe men, and thirty pikemen; and the “ shot” were
twenty archers, twenty musketeers, and twenty
harquebusiers , and each man carried, besides his
principal weapon, a sword and dagger.
Companies of infantry varied at this period in
numbers from 150 to 300 men ; each company had
a colour or ensign, and the mode of formation re-
commended by an English military writer (Sir John
Smithe) in 1590, was :—-the colour in the centre of
the company guarded by the halberdiers; the pike-
men, in equal proportions, on each flank of the
halberdiers ; half the musketeers on each flank of
the pikes ; half the archers on each flank of the mus-
keteers ; and the harquebusiers (whose arms were
much lighter than the musket then in use) in equal
proportions on each flank of the company forskirmish-
ing.* It was customary to unite a number of com-
panies into one body, called a Reagiment, which
frequently amounted to three thousand men; but
* A company of 200 men would appear thus :—
20 20 20 30 20 30 20 20 20
Harquebuses. Archers. Muskets. Pikes, Halberds. Pikes. Muskets. Archers. Harquebuses.
The musket carried a ball which weighed 1 of a pound; and the
harquebus a ball which weighed }; of a pound.
§
vo bn
hundred
© shot ;”
r battle-:
ot” were
twenty
ides his
eriod in
iny had
tion re-
ir John
entre of
ie pike-
of the
lank of
1e mus-
1s Were
1 equal
irmish-
f com-
which
n; but
20
irquebuses.
and the
5
THE INFANTRY.
each company continued to carry a colour. Numer-
ous improvements were eventually introduced in the
construction of fire-arms, and, it having been found
impossible to make armour proof against the muskets
then in use (which carried a very heavy ball) without
its being too weighty for the soldier, armour was
gradually laid aside by the infantry in the seven-
teenth century : bows and arrows also fell into dis-
use, and the infantry were reduced to two classes,
viz.: musketeers, armed with matchlock muskets,
swords, and daggers; and pikemen, armed with pikes,
from fourteen to eighteen feet long, and swords,
In the early part of the seventeenth century
Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, reduced the
strength of regiments to 1000 men ; he caused the
gunpowder, which had heretofore been carried in
flasks, or in small wooden bandaliers, each contain-
ing a charge, to be made up into cartridges, and
carried in pouches; and he formed each regiment
into two wings of musketeers, and a centre division
of pikemen. He also adopted the practice of form-
ing four regiments into a brigade; and the number
of colours was afterwards reduced to three in each
regiment. He formed his columns so compactly that
his infantry could resist the charge of the celebrated
Polish horsemen and Austrian cuirassiers; and his
armies became the admiration of other nations. His
mode of formation was copied by the English,
6 INTRODUCTION TO
French, and other European states; but, so great
was the prejudice in favour of ancient customs, that
all his improvements were not adopted until near a
century afterwards.
In 1664 King Charles II. raised a corps for sea-
service, styled the Admiral’s regiment. In 1678
each company of 100 men usually consisted of 30
pikemen, 60 musketeers, and 10 men armed with
light firelocks. In this year the king added a com-
pany of men armed with hand-grenades to each of
the old British regiments, which was designated the
“ orenadier company.” Daggers were so contrived
as to fit in the muzzles of the muskets, and bayonets
similar to those at present in use were adopted about
twenty years afterwards.
An Ordnance regiment was raised in 1685, by
order of King James II., to guard the artillery, and
was designated the Royal Fusiliers (now 7th Foot).
This corps, and the companies of grenadiers, did
not carry pikes,
King William III. incorporated the Admiral’s
regiment in the Second Foot Guards, and raised
two Marine regiments for sea-service. During the
war in this reign, each company of infantry (ex-
cepting the fusiliers and grenadiers) consisted of 14
pikemen and 46 musketeers; the captains carried
pikes; lieutenants, partisans; ensigns, half-pikes ;
and serjeants, halberds. After the peace in 1697 the
it, So great
istoms, that
until near a
‘ps for sea-
In 1678
isted of 30
armed with
ded a com-
to each of
gnated the
) contrived
d bayonets
pted about
1685, by
llery, and
Vth Foot).
diers, did
Admiral’s
d raised
ring the
try (ex-
ed of 14
B carried
f-pikes ;
697 the
THE INFANTRY. qT
Marine regiments were disbanded, but were again
formed on the breaking out of the war in 1702.*
During the reign of Queen Anne the pikes were
laid aside, and every infantry soldier was armed
with a musket, bayonet, and sword; the grenadiers
ceased, about the same period, to carry hand-gren-
ades ; and the regiments were directed to lay aside
their third colour: the corps of Royal Artillery was
first added to the army in this reign.
About the year 1745, the men of the battalion
companies of infantry ceased to carry swords;
during the reign of George II. light companies were
added to iafantry regiments; and in 1764 a Board
of General Officers recommended that the grenadiers
should lay aside their swords, as that weapon had
Since
that period the arms of the infantry soldier have been
never been used during the seven years’ war.
limited to the musket and bayonet.
The arms and equipment of the British troops have
seldom differed materially, since the Conquest, from
those of other European states ; and in some respects
the arming has, at certain periods, been allowed to
be inferior to that of the nations with whom they
* The 30th, 31st, and 32nd Regiments were formed as Marine
corps in 1702, and were employed as such during the wars in the
reign of Queen Anne. The Marine corps were embarked in the
Fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke, and were at the taking of
Gibraltar, and in its subsequent defence in 1704; they were after-
wards employed at the siege of Barcelona in 1705.
8 INTRODUCTIUN TO
have had to contend ; yet, under this disadvantage,
the bravery and superiority of the British infantry
have been evinced on very many and most trying
occasions, and splendid victories have been gained
over very superior numbers.
Great Britain has produced a race of lion-like
champions who have dared to confront a host of
foes, and have proved themselves valiant with any
arms, At Crécy, King Edward III., at the head of
about 30,000 men, defeated, on the 26th of August,
1346, Philip King of France, whose army is said to
have amounted to 100,000 men ; here British valour
encountered veterans of renown :—the King of Bo-
hemia, the King of Majorca, and many princes and
nobles were slain, and the French army was routed
and cut to pieces. Ten years afterwards, Edward
Prince of Wales, who was designated the Black
Prince, defeated at Poictiers, with 14,000 men,
a French army of 60,000 horse, besides infan-
try, and took John I., King of France, and his son
Philip, prisoners. On the 25th of October, 1415,
King Henry V., with an army of about 13,000
men, although greatly exhausted by marches, pri-
vations, and sickness, defeated, at Agincourt, the
Constable of France, at the head of the flower of
the French nobility and an army said to amount to
60,000 men, and gained a complete victory.
During the seventy years’ war between the United
isad vantage,
ish infantry
most trying
een gained
of lion-like
t a host of
nt with any
the head of
of August,
y is said to
itish valour
‘ing of Bo-
rinces and
was routed
s, Edward
the Black
000 men,
des infan-
d his son
ber, 1415,
t 13,000
ches, pri-
court, the
flower of
mount to
‘2
he United
THE INFANTRY. g
Provinces of the Netherlands and the Spanish mo-
_narch, which commenced:in 1578 and terminated
in 1648, the British infantry in the service of the
States General were celebrated for their uncon-
querable spirit and firmness;* and in the thirty
years’ war between the Protestant Princes and the
Emperor of Germany, the British troops in the ser-
vice of Sweden and other states were celebrated for
deeds of heroism.t In the wars of Queen Anne,
the fame of. the British army under the great
MARLBOROUGH was spread throughout the world ;
and if we glance at the achievements performed
within the memory of persons now living, there is
abundant proof that the Britons of the present age
are not inferior to their ancestors in the qualities
which constitute good soldiers, Witness the deeds
of the brave men, of whom there are many now
surviving, who fought in Egypt in 1801, under the
brave Abercrombie, and compelled the French army,
which had been vainly styled Invincible, to eva-
* The brave Sir Roger Williams, in his discourse on war, printed
in 1590, observes :—‘‘ I persuade myself ten thousand of our nation
would beat thirty thousand of theirs (the Spaniards)out of the field,
let them be chosen where they list.” Yet at this time the Spanish
infantry was allowed to be the best disciplined in Europe. For
instances of valour displayed by the British Infantry during the :
Seventy Years’ War, see the Historical Record of the Third Foot, or
Buffs.
t Vide the Historical Record of the First, or Royal Regiment of
Foot.
Cc
10 INTRODUCTION TO
cuate that country; also the services of the gallant
Troops during the arduous campaigns in the Penin- |
sula, under the immortal WELLINGTON; and the
determined stand made by the British Army at
Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte, who had
long been the inveterate enemy of Great Britain,
and had sought and planned her destruction by
every means he could devise, was compelled to
leave his vanquished legions to their fate, and to
place himself at the disposal of the British govern-
ment. These achievements, with others of recent
dates in the distant climes of India, prove that the
same valour and constancy which glowed in the
breasts of the heroes of Crécy, Poictiers, Agin-
court, Blenheim, and Ramilies, continue to animate
the Britons of the nineteenth century.
The British soldier is distinguished for a robust
and muscular frame,—intrepidity which no danger
can appal,—unconquerable spirit and resolution,—
patience in fatigue and privation, and cheerful obe-
dience to his superiors. These qualities, united with
an excellent system of order and discipline to regu-
late and give a skilful direction to the energies and
adventurous spirit of the hero, and a wise selection
of officers of superior talent to command, whose
presence inspires confidence,—have been the lead-
ing causes of the splendid victories gained by the
he gallant
he Penin-
; and the
Army at
who had
t Britain,
uction by
pelled to
le, and to
h govern-
of recent
> that the
id in the
‘8, Agin-
) animate
a robust
D danger
lution, —
rful obe-
ted with
to regu-
vies and
selection
» whose
e lead-
by the
THE INFANTRY. ll
British arms.* The fame of the deeds of the past
and present generations in the various battle-fields
where the robust sons of Albion have fought aid
conquered, surrounds the British arms with an halo
of glory; these achievements will live in the page of
history to the end of time.
* The records of the several regiments will be found
to contain a detail of facts of an interesting cha-
racter, connected with the hardships, sufferings,
and gallant exploits of British soldiers in the vari-
ous parts of the world where the calls of their Coun-
* “Under the blessing of Divine Providence, His Majesty ascribes
the successés which have attended the exertions of his troops in
Egypt, to that determined bravery which is inherent in Britons; but
His Majesty desires it may be most solemnly and forcibly impressed
on the consideration of every part of the army, that it has been a
strict observance of order, discipline, and military system, which
has given the full energy to the native valour of the troops, and has
enabled them proudly to assert the superiority of the national mili-
tary character, in situations uncommonly arduous, and under circum-
stances of peculiar difficulty."—General Orders in 1801.
In the General Orders issued by Lieut.-General Sir John Hope
(afterwards Lord Hopetoun), congratulating the army upon the
successful result of the Battle of Corunna, on the 16th of January,
1809, it is stated :—‘‘ On no occasion has the undaunted valour of
British troops ever been more manifest. At the termination of a
severe and harassing march, rendered necessary by the superiority
which the enemy had acquired, and which had materially impaired
the efficiency of the troops, many disadvantages were to be encoun-
tered. These have all been surmounted by the conduct of the troops
themselves; and the enemy has been taught, that whatever advan-
tages of position or of numbers he may possess, there is inherent
in the British officers and soldiers a bravery that knows not how to
yield—that no circumstances can appal—and that will ensure victory
when it is to be obtained by the exertion of any human means.”
12 INTRODUCTION, &c.
try and the commands of their Sovereign, have
required them to proceed in the execution of their
duty, whether in active continental operations, or
in maintaining colonial territories in distant and
unfavourable climes.
The superiority of the British infantry has been
pre-eminently set forth in the wars of six centuries,’
and admitted by the greatest commanders which
Europe has produced. The formations and move-
ments of this arme, as at present practised, while
they are adapted! to every species of warfare, and
to all probable situations and circumstances of ser-
vice, are calculated to show forth the brilliancy of
military tactics calculated upon mathematical and
scientific principles. Although the movements and
evolutions have been copied from the continental
armies, yet various improvements have from time
to time been introduced, to ensure that simplicity
and celerity by which the superiority of the national
military character is maintained. The rank and in-
fluence, which Great Britain has attained among
the nations of the world, have in a great measure
been purchased by the valour of the Army; and to
persons, who have the welfare of their country at
heart, the records of the several regiments cannot
fil to prove interesting.
1838,
eign, have
on of their
erations, Or
distant and
y has been
¢ centuries,’
ders which
and move-
ised, while
arfare, and
ces of ser-
rilliancy of
natical and
ments and
ontinental
from time
simplicity
ie national
ak and in-
ed among
t measure
; and to
ountry at
its cannot
HISTORICAL RECORD
THE SIXTH,
ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE
REGIMENT OF FOO?
CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE FORMATION OF THE 8PGIN NT
IN THE YEAR 1674,
AND OF ITS SUBSEQUENT SERVICES
To 1838.
ILLUSTRATED WITH PLATES.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, ORME, AND CO,
PATERNOSTER ROW;
AND BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND
14, CHanina Cross;
SONS,
AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS,
1839.
Printed by Winnram Crowgs and Sons,
Stamford Street.
THE
SIXTH,
OR
ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE
REGIMENT OF FOOT,
BEARS ON ITS COLOURS, AS A REGIMENTAL BADGE,
“THE ANTELOPE;”
ON THE THREE CORNERS OF THE SECOND COLOUR,
“THE ROSE AND CROWN ;”
ON THE GRENADIER CAPs,
“THE KING’S CREST;”
ON THE DRUMMERS’ Coats,
“THE ANTELOPE;”
ALSO THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTIONS ON THE COLOURS:
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“ ROLEIA,” “ VIMIERA,” “ CORUNNA,”
“VITTORIA,” ‘“ PYRENEES,” « NIVELLE,”’
“ORTHES,” “PENINSULA,” “NIAGARA.”
A line Soap tg ie Maa 2 MNT SRR ot AA eRe ee Rea oe Cire tte es
—_ Sewer as —
———— rSTN Ree
Bi
i
ae
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poke
So te
x
Auno
1673-
1674
1676
1677
1678
1685
1688
1689
1690
CONTENTS.
4 Formation of the nee in Holland
Siege of Grave : :
Siege of Maestricht .
Battle of Mont Cassel
- St. Denis
The Regiment proceeds to England
Returns to Holland : ‘
The Revolution.—The Regiment accompanies
the Prince of Orange to England
Four companies captured by the Swallow
Encamps on Hounslow Heath
Proceeds to Ireland .
Siege of Charlemont
Battle of the Boyne .
Detached against Athlone . :
Capture of Ballymore and Athlone
Battle of Aghrim
Capture of Galway and Castleconnell
— Limerick
Returns to England .
Embarks for the Netherlands
Battle of Steenkirk
Returns to England .
Embarks for the Netherlands
5 eee of Namur
Proceeds to England
Embarks for the Netherlands, bias ‘etuing to
England after the Peace of Ryswick
Proceeds to Ireland . : r :
2 Expedition to Cadiz .
Storming the Forts at Vigo .
Returns to England
i 3 |
vi CONTENTS.
Anno
1703 Proceeds to the West Indies, but returns to
England in the same year.
1705 Capture of Barcelona
Services in Catalonia and Valencia
1706 Defence of Barcelona ‘
Capture of Requena and Cuenza .
1707 Battle of Almanza
— Action at Tortosa
1708 Capture of Minorca .
1710 Battle of Almanara .
— Saragossa
—— Advances to Madrid .
—— Disaster at Brihuega .
1713 Proceeds to Ireland . ‘
1719 Capture of Vigo, ene “itd Pont-a-
Vedra . A ‘ ,
—— Returns to Ireland . ; “ ; ‘
1739 Embarks for England
1740 Proceeds to the West Indies
1741 Attack on Carthagena
— Descent on Cuba.
1742 Returns to England, and roteediy to Scotland
1745 The Rebellion in Scotland . ‘
— Defence of Ruthven Redoubt ‘ ‘
Battle of Preston-pans
1746 Defence of Forts Augustus and William
1747 Proceeds to England . ‘
1751 Description of the Colours .
1753 Embarks for Gibraltar
1763 Returns to England .
1765 Proceeds to Scotland
1769 Returns to England .
1772 Embarks for the West Indies ‘
—— Serves against the Charibbees of St. Vincent :
1776 Proceeds to New York , F i ‘
1777 Embarks for England ‘
1782 Obtains the title of Sixth, or First Warwick-
shire Regiment of Foot ° ‘ .
1783 Embarks for Ireland
1786 ——— Nova Scotia .
s to
Anno
1793
1794
——
1795
1796
1798
1799
1804
1806
1807
1815
1816
CONTENTS,
Embarks for the West Indies.
Capture of Martinico . ‘ ‘ :
— St. Lucia ‘ ° ‘
— Guadaloupe . ‘ : °
Returns to England ‘ , :
Embarks for Ireland
Services during the Rebellion in Ireland
Embarks for Canada
A Second Battalion added to the Regiment
First Battalion returns to England ‘
embarks for Gibraltar
proceeds to Portugal
Battle of Roleia .
— Vimiera
advances into Spain
Battle of Corunna
-——— returns to England .
—— expedition to Walcheren
————-—— proceeds to Ireland
—————— embarks for the Peninsula
————— Battle of Vittoria
the Pyrenees .
——————— distinguished conduct at Echalar
Battle of the Bidassoa .
— Nivelle
— Nive ‘
actions at Hastingues and
Oyergave . . F
—— -——— battle of Orthes ‘
——_——__——— advances to Bordeaux .
embarks for Canada
siege of Fort Erie
proceeds from Canada to the
Netherlands
The Second Battalion distended
The Regiment forms part of the Army of Oceu-
pation in Frence ‘ : : :
a
re
— a,
1818 Returns to England .
1819 Proceeds to Scotland
~—— Returns to England .
Vili CONTENTS.
Anno
1821 Embarks for the Cape of Good Hope
1825 Proceeds to the East Indies °
1832 Obtains the title of Royal .
1838 The Conclusion
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS.
it 1673 Sir Walter Vane
Li 1674 Luke Lillingston : . :
Hi 1675 Thomas Ashley ‘ ‘ ; ‘
Bi 1678 Sir Henry Bellasis :
1689 William Babington .
1691 George Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt
1694 Henry Marquis de Rada
1695 Ventris Columbine
1703 James Rivers .
1706 William Southwell
il 1708 Thomas Harrison. ' ; ‘ , —
i 1716 Robert Dormer ‘ : ; : , -—
1720 James Dormer ‘ . ‘ ; ; 109
1738 John Guise. . . ; , ; —
1765 William Rufane ‘ ; ‘ ; , —
1773 John Gore ‘ : ; : 110
1773 Sir William Boothby, Baronet i ; ‘ —
1787 Lancelot Baugh 3 : ; ‘ 111
1792 Sir Ralph Abercromby ; : sions
1795 Prince William Frederick of Gisticestier ‘ 114
1806 Sir George Nugent, Baronet
LIST OF PLATES.
The Regimental Colours to follow the Regimental Title Page.
The present Costume of the Regiment to follow Page 100.
SSE 6 ce ROSA IME PRICY OL Ec CR ON Ei Zo SG TRUE Sa sa oaeemen
SIXTH (THE ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE) REGIMENT OF FOOT.
HISTORICAL RECORD
OF THE
SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
THE spirit of enterprise, intrepidity, firmness, endurance,
physical strength, and innate love of fame exhibited by
the British troops, have not only contributed to clevate
this Kingdom to its present exalted station among the
nations of Europe, but in the numerous wars which have
taken place in Christendom, other States have evinced
strong desires to obtain British aid. In the Dutch war
of independence, from 1572 to 1648, British valour was
eminently displayed in procuring the advantages of civil
and religious liberty for the inhabitants of the United
Provinces: British courage gave important aid to
Henry IV. of France in his struggles for the throne:
in the splendid achievements of the great Gustavus
Adolphus of Sweden, the British had an important
share: many of the conquests of Louis XIV., sur-
named “ The Great,” were achieved by the aid cf Bri-
tish troops; and the regiment which forms the subject
of this memoir is one of the English corps raised for
the service of a foreign state under the following cir-
cumstances.
The only remaining corps* of the numerous bands
* Then called the Holland Regiment, and now the Third Foot,
or the Buffs.
B
2 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
of English lancers, cuirassiers, carabineers, archers, mus- tl
keteers, harquebusiers, pikemen, and battle-axemen, who
fought in the Dutch war of independence from 1572 to
1648, was recalled from Holland on the breaking out of °
hostilities between the English and Dutch in 1665: Ww
during the negociations for the peace of London in the 0
1673 winter of 1673-4, the States General pressed King _
Charles II. to recall his troops from the service of ce
France*, and solicited permission again to employ in a
their army a British division, The king refused to recall l
his regiments from France; but his majesty engaged
not to permit any additional British corps to be levied
for the service of Louis XIV., and to prevent the others
being recruited: at the same time permission was given t
to the States to raise for their service a body of troops te
in England and Scotland, to be commanded by the
colonel of the old Hottanp Rea@iment, Sir WALTER ki
Vang, who was promoted to the rank of major-general th
in the Dutch army, and appointed colonel of one of the fe
regiments to be raised for this service, now the Sixtu al
RecimEnT OF Foot, his commission bearing date the ee
12th of December, 1673. a
1674. Theinterests of the United Provinces and those of the tl
reformed religion being intimately connected, their cause ‘
was popular in England; and when the king disbanded t!
a great part of his army on the settlement of the peace §
in 1674, many officers and men voluntarily entered the t
Dutch service, particularly from the old HoLuanp ,
REGIMENT, which was reduced on that occasion from , t
eighteen to ten companies. Among the most zealous in
* A corps of cavalry, and two brigades of infantry, one English ;
and one Scots, of which the First, or the Royal Regiment, is the
only remaining corps.
chers, mus-
xemen, who
om 1572 to
king out of
in 1665;
don in the
ssed King
service of
employ in
ed to recall
y engaged
» be levied
the others
was given
of troops
d by the
2: WaLtER
or-general
me of the
the Sixt
date the
ose of the
eir cause
lisbanded
the peace
tered the
OLLAND
ion from
ealous in
e English
ent, is the
tH REGIY NT OF
THE § OF, 3
this service were Captains Sir Henry ‘vllasis, 7 \omas 1674
Monk, John Morgan, Philip Savage, | oger M‘b gott,
Alexander Cannon, and four others, who arrived at the
Briel during the summer of 1674 with a number of men,
who were formed into ten companies. The Prince of
Orange had in the meantime taken the field with the
army, and Sir Walter Vane proceeding to the camp to
complete some arrangements with his Highness, served as
a volunteer at the battle of Seneffe on the Ist of August,
1674 (O.S.), and was killed.
Sir William Ballandyne was next appointed to com-
mand the British division, and the ten companies
marched from the Briel to Bois-le-duc; from whence
they were suddenly called to join the army and
take part in the siege of Grave. They were com-
manded, while on this service, by Captain Hugh Mac-
kay (afterwards lieutenant-general and commandant of
the Scots brigade), who had transferred his services a
few weeks previously from the French to the Dutch
army ; and was appointed major-commandant of the ten
companies pro tempore. On the second day after their
arrival before Grave, the ten companies were on duty in
the trenches; and such was the fervour and eagerness
of some of the officers and soldiers to signalize themselves,
that Captain Savage and a few men stormed the counter-
scarp in the night without orders: they evinced great
bravery, and gained some advantage, but were eventually
repulsed, and Captain Savage was put in arrest, and
reprimanded for his over-heated valour.
After the surrender of Grave on the 28th of October,
the ten companies returned to Bois-le-duc, where four
British regiments were formed during the winter ;—two
English, commanded by Colonels Lillingston and Dis-
ney ;—one Scots, commanded by Colonel Graham ;—and
B 2
4 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1674 one Irish, of which the Viscount of Clare was colonel. :
Two old Scots regiments in the Dutch service were
purged of foreigners and added to the above four: the
six regiments formed as fine a body of troops as any in :
Europe, and they soon had opportunities of proving that
they possessed the same heroic spirit and contempt of
danger as their predecessors in the war of independence, .
and as the valiant English and Scots who so highly dis-
tinguished themselves under the great Gustavus Adol-
phus. Such was the origin of the Sixtu ReGimEnT oF i
Foor. Its commanding officer was Colonel Luxe Lit- = §
LINGSTON, whose appointment was dated in August,
1674. :
1675 The campaign of 1675 was passed in marching, ma- °
neeuvring, and watching the operations of the enemy.
During the winter the regiment was in garrison in Hol-
land, and the colonelcy was conferred on Lieut.-Colonel
Tuomas Asuvey; the command of the second English
regiment was conferred on Colonel Ralph Widdrington ;
and the Irish regiment having previously been given to
Colonel John Fenwick, it lost its designation of Irish, :
and the three were accounted English regiments. f
1676 In the summer of 1676 the regiment marched to Bois- :
le-duc, where, in the early part of July it was sud-
denly aroused about midnight by the drums beating to
arms; and assembling on its parade ground, it imme- 3 ;
diately proceeded towards the province of Limburg. a
After several days’ march it arrived in the vicinity of =| |
Maestricht, and, the Prince of Orange having joined the i ‘
army, the siege of this celebrated city was commenced. : |
The three English regiments were commanded by é
Brigadier-General John Fenwick. Being proud of their 4
national character, and jealous of their fame, they ob- i
tained permission to act separately, and to have a par-
Was colonel.
service were
ve four: the
ops as any in
proving that
contempt of
ndependence,
o highly dis-
stavus Adol-
REGIMENT OF
1 Luke Lin-
in August,
arching, ma-
the enemy.
ison in Hol-
eut.-Colonel
ond English
iddrington ;
ven given to
on of Irish,
nts.
1ed to Bois-
t was sud-
beating to
1, it imme-
' Limburg.
vicinity of
‘joined the
nmenced.
1anded_ by
ud of their
>, they ob-
lave @ par-
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, 5
ticular point of attack allotted them; “ and they made 1676
‘it appear, by their fierce attacks, that they deserved
‘this distinction *.”” They signalized themselves by
the spirit with which they beat back the sallies of the
garrison ; and on the 30th of July they furnished two
hundred men, in equal proportions from each regiment,
to storm the Dauphin Bastion. A lodgment was effected ;
but the troops afterwards lost their ground, and they
had one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded out
of the two hundred. Colonel Widdrington was killed,
and the command of his regiment was given to Lieut.-
Colonel Dolman. The brigade was again on duty in
the trenches on the 2nd of August, when Brigadier-
General Fenwick was wounded.
At three o’clock on the morning of the 4th of August,
a storming party of one hundred and eighty-three offi-
cers and men, with a support of sixty men, furnished
in equal proportions from each of the three regiments,
paraded at the head of the brigade; a similar detach-
ment of the blue Dutch foot-guards was also in readi-
ness, and at five this little band rushed forward in the
face of a storm of fire, and made a second attack
on the Dauphin Bastion with signal gallantry. The
English, being emulous of fame, gained the lead of the
Dutch, and throwing forward a shower of hand-gre-
nades, assaulted the breach sword in hand, and effected
alodgment. Suddenly the ground under the soldiers’
feet was agitated, a tremendous explosion blew a number
of men into the air, and the bursting of the mine being
succeeded by a fierce attack of the enemy, the storming
party was driven back. Instantly rallying, and being
exasperated by this repulse, the English and Dutch re-
* Boyer’s Life of King William III.
6 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1676 turned to the charge breathing vengeance and slaugh-
ter, by a powerful effort drove back their antagonists,
and re-established themselves on the bastion, but with
the loss of more than half their numbers killed and
wounded. English valour shone conspicuously on this
occasion, and the Dutch authorities acknowledged the
superior gallantry of the brigade. In the Hague Ga-
zette it was stated ** the English gained very great
"and in the Brussels Gazette it was stated,
“the Prince of Orange having resolved to retake the
“ Dauphin Bastion, appointed two hundred English,
“and as many of his guards, to make the attack, which
‘“‘ they did with great courage and resolution, and with
“very great honour to the English, who first entered
“the breach.” Sir William Temple, Harris, Boyer,
Carleton, Bernardi, and other authors, bore ample tes-
timony to the native valour of the English soldiers. A
Scots regiment, commanded by Sir Alexander Colyear,
also distinguished itself at this siege.
“* honour ;’
A desperate sally was made from the town, on the
morning of the 6th of August, by three hundred Swiss
infantry, who, owing to the neglect of a sentry, surprised
and made prisoners the English guard on the bastion ;
but a reinforcement coming forward, the Swiss were
overpowered and destroyed, except about twenty men,
who escaped into the town. The Prince of Orange com-
plimented the English on their bravery: and being de-
sirous of conferring on merit a special mark of his appro-
bation, and of inciting other corps to emulate the Eng-
lish brigade, he made each of the three regiments a pre-
sent of a fat ox and six sheep, which, however, occa-
sioned some murmuring among the Dutch.
A strong horn-work was afterwards captured by the
Dutch, and preparations were made for a general storm
nd slaugh-
intagonists,
), but with
killed and
sly on this
ledged the
Hague Ga-
very great
vas stated,
retake the
1 English,
ack, which
1, and with
st entered
is, Boyer,
ample tes-
ldiers. A
r Colyear,
n, on the
red Swiss
surprised
» bastion ;
wiss were
enty men,
ange com-
being de-
118 appro-
the Eng-
nts a pre-
yer, occas
d by the
‘al storm
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
7
of the main breach ; but Marshal de Schomberg advanc- 1676
ing at the head of a powerful French army to relieve the
town, the siege was raised, and the three English regi-
ments, having sustained a severe loss, were sent into
quarters in Holland.
The French monarch commenced the campaign of 1677
1677 with great vigour; and the advantage derived
from an army being under the sole direction of, and con-
ducted by immediate orders from one head, over a con-
federate force, which meets with delays and obstructions
from different interests, councils, negligences, and tem-
pers, was very conspicuous,—the feeble preparations of
the Dutch, and the apathy of the Spaniards, having left
the Prince of Orange without a force capable of contend-
ing with the immense army of the enemy. Colonel
AsHLEy’s regiment, after replacing its losses with recruits
from England, quitted Holland, and advanced with the
remainder of the brigade to West Flanders. It formed
part of the army, under the Prince of Orange, employed
in the attempt to relieve the town of St. Omer; and was
engaged on the 11th of April at the battle of Mont-
Cassel, which was fought under great disadvantages in
numbers and the nature of the ground. Two newly-
raised regiments of Dutch marines, posted between the
Prince’s foot-guards and the English brigade, gave way
at the first onset, and, confusion ensuing, the Prince re-
treated with the loss of his baggage and artillery.
At the close of the campaign, the ministers of the con-
federate states pressed King Charles II. to recall his
troops from the service of France, attributing many of
the French monarch’s successes to the bravery of the
British regiments; and in 1678 the king acceded. At 1678
the same time the gallant Earl of Ossory, eldest son of
the Duke of Ormond, was appointed to the command of
8 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1678 the British brigade ; and Sir Henry Bettasis succeeded
Colonel Ashley in the command of the regiment which
is now the SixtH Foot. Ten thousand English troops
were also embarked for Flanders, to take part in the
war.
During the early part of the campaign of 1678, the
British brigade, under the Earl of Ossory, was employed
on detached services in Brabant and Flanders; and on
the morning of Sunday, the 14th of August, it moved
from its camp near the little river Senne, to attack the
French army, commanded by Marshal Luxemburg,
before Mons.
The French commander imagined himself safe in inac-
cessible entrenchments ; but he was surprised by a party
of Dutch dragoons while at dinner in the Abbey of
St. Denis, near the village of that name, and his army
was unexpectedly attacked, with great fury, about
three o’clock in the afternoon. The Dutch, under
Count Waldeck, assaulted and carried the abbey; the
Spaniards, commanded by the Duke of Villa Hermosa,
advanced by the village of Castehau; and the Dutch
foot-guards, with the Ear] of Ossory’s brigade, prolonged
the attack on the heights of Castehau, where the action
was maintained with particular obstinacy. The [‘arl of
Ossory drew his sword, and, pointing to the dark masses
of the enemy, whose polished arms gleamed on the dis-
tant heights, led his British bands to the attack with
signal intrepidity : his gallant mien and lofty bearing in-
fused a noble ardour into the breasts of his officers and
men, who urged, with resolute tread, their way through
every difficulty to encounter their adversaries. The
grenadiers of Bgttasts’s regiment (now Sixtn Foor)
headed by Major William Babington, led the attack on
a body of French troops, posted in a hop-garden, with a
succeeded
ient which
ish troops
art in the
1678, the
employed
3; and on
it moved
ittack the
kemburg,
e in inac-
y a party
\bbey of
his army
y, about
1» under
yey; the
lermosa,
e Dutch
rolonged
ie action
Earl of
< Masses
the dis-
ck with
ring in-
ers and
fhrough
The
Foot)
ack on
with a
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 9g
spirit and resolution which were imitated by the mus- 1678
keteers and pikemen, and a vehement struggle ensued
among the trees and umbrageous foliage which adorned
the scene of conflict. Sir Henry Bellasis and Lieutenant-
Colonel Monk were wounded, Major Babington was also
wounded and taken prisoner, and the contest was fierce
and sanguinary; but British valour prevailed, and the
French were driven from among the hop-poles with great
slaughter. Another stand was made by the enemy be-
yond the enclosure, and the storm of battle was renewed
with additional fury. The Scots, under Major-General
Kirkpatrick, Sir Alexander Colyear, and Colonel Mackay,
vied with the English in their gallant efforts, and the
Prince of Orange and Duke of Monmouth arriving at
that part of the field, witnessed their heroic behaviour.
Attack succeeded attack, and as the shades of evening
gathered over the scene of conflict, the blaze of musketry
and showers of hand-grenades indicated the fury of the
opposing ranks of war. At length darkness put an end
to the fight ; and the French forsook their entrenchments
and retreated. The excellent conduct of the British
troops was appreciated by the Prince of Orange and the
States-General ; and in the narratives of the battle, pub-
lished at the time, they received their meed of praise :
in one account it was stated,—“ the Earl of Ossory and
his troops performed wonders ;” in another,—* the
English and Scots regiments did things to the admira-
tion of those that beheld them ;” and in a third, —“ they
behaved themselves with that courage and bravery which
are so natural to them.”” The regiment which forms the
subject of this memoir lost many non-commissioned
officers and private soldiers, and had the following officers
killed and wounded :—Captains Richardson and Van-
derstraet, Lieutenants Price, Paul, and Lepingault, and
10 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1678 Ensign Drury, killed ; Colonel Sir Henry Bellasis, Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Monk, Captain Penford, Lieutenant Lun-
nemon, and Ensign Nelson, wounded. Major Babington
was wounded and taken prisoner: he was, in the first
instance, included in the list of the slain *.
Preliminary articles for a treaty of peace had, in the
mean time, been agreed upon at Nimeguen ; and the as-
pect of affairs was suddenly changed, the spot of ground
where fury and bloodshed raged a few hours before was
transformed, by the news of peace, to a scene of hilarity
and jocund mirth, which was only alloyed by the remem-
brance of the loss of so many companions in arms, whose
blood had stained the grassy fields.
1679 When the States-General reduced the strength of their
army to a peace establishment, the estimation in which
the British troops were held occasioned their being re-
tained in the service of the United Provinces; and in a
treaty on this subject, the States agreed to send the six
regiments to England, when the King should require
their services.
During the five years succeeding the treaty of Nim2-
guen, Sir Henry BExvAsis’s regiment was employed in
1680 garrison duty. In 1680, its Lieutenant-Colonel, Thomas
Monk, was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment,
* Return of officers of the Earl of Ossory's brigade killed and
wounded at the battle of St. Denis, 14th August, 1678,
Killed. | Wounded.
The Earl of Ossory’s regiment
Colonel Henry Wisely’ s ditto (now sth foot)
Sir Henry Bellasis’s ditto F . (6th)
Sir Alexander Colyear’s ditto . a : ,
Major-General Kirkpatrick’ s ditto r .
Colonel Hugh Mackay’s ditto , :
Total
Lieu-
t Lun-
ington
he first
in the
he as-
round
e was
ilarity
’mem-
hose
their
hich
g re-
ina
e six
quire
jim2-
ed in
omas
nent,
d and
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. ll
Wisely, who was drowned on his passage to England ;
and Major William Babington was appointed to the
lieutenant-colonelcy.
which is now the fifth foot, in succession to ‘Colonel 1680
In 1684, when the French aggressions in the duchy 1684
of Luxemburg occasioned some alarm in the Nether-
lands, the regiment marched to the vicinity of Brussels,
where a body of troops was encamped a short time, and
subsequently near Malines: no war taking place, the
camp was broken up in November, and the regiment
was again employed in garrison duty.
In the summer of 1685, events transpired which occa-
sioned the removal of the regiment from the Netherlands
to England: the Earl of Argyle, and a number of other
political exiles, who were zealous advocates for civil
liberty and the reformed religion, proceeded in May
from the Netherlands to Scotland, where they attempted
to organize a rebellion against the government of King
James II., who was a professed papist. His Majesty, in
a letter to the Prince of Orange, dated Whitehall, the
22nd of May, stated ;—* I make no doubt, by God's
“help, that the rebels will soon be mastered, yet there is
“ no harm in providing for the worst ; and, therefore, I
“have charged Mr. Skelton to propose to you the lend-
ing me the three Scots regiments that are in your ser-
* vice, to be sent over to Scotland ; and if this is a thing
“ you can do, the sooner it is done the more reason I shall
“have to take it very kindly of you *.” The States ac-
ceded to this request: but before the Scots regiments
embarked, the Duke of Monmouth had landed at Lyme,
in Dorsetshire, and having erected his standard in the
* Appendix to Dalrymple’s Memoirs of Great Britain and
Ireland.
1685
12 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1685 market-place, summoned the people to join him in an
appeal to arms against the government: the destination
of the three regiments was then changed to England.
At the same time the King made the following applica-
tion to the Prince of Orange, in a letter dated Whitehall,
the 17th of June, 1685.
“ When I wrote to you yesterday, I thought the
“ militia would have kept the Duke of Monmouth shut
‘‘up in Lyme; but by the fault of those of Devonshire,
‘or Somersetshire, he has opened his way towards Taun-
«ton, which is a very factious town, and where he may
“ increase his numbers ; and though, with those troops I
«‘ have raised, and am raising, I make no doubt of mas-
“tering him in some small time, yet, to make all sure,
“TI desire you to lend me the three English regiments
“that are in your service, and they may be sent over
“ with all speed *.” Some of the towns of Holland were,
however, so jealous of King James’s predilection to pa-
pacy, and viewing the Duke of Monmouth in the light
of a champion for the reformed religion, their secret
wishes for his grace’s success were so strong, that the
Prince of Orange found some difficulty in obtaining the
consent of the States for the regiments to proceed to
England ¢ ; and when their consent had been procured,
a new obstacle arose. The officers and soldiers of Sir
Henry Be tasis’s regiment (now Six Foot) were so
devoted to the protestant interest, and so averse to be-
coming instruments by which the ascendency of popish
principles should be established, that they objected .o
proceed to England{. ‘Their scruples were, however,
* Appendix to Dalrymple’s Memoirs of Great Britain and
Ireland.
+ Bishop Burnet. ~ Millan.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, 13
n an
ition
and.
lica-
hall terms. “1 received on Wednesday yours of the 6th, by
« which I see the English regiments were to be emberked
overcome, and the King expressed the gratification which 1685
he experienced on hearing they were ready for embarka-
tion, in a letter to the Prince of Orange, in the following
the “ by the beginning of this week, and must again thank
shut
lire,
“you for them, and if they be but as good as the Scots
“ regiments, which I saw this morning, I shall be doubly
“ pleased ; for, as to these I have seen, there cannot be,
\un-
«IT am sure, better men than they are, and they do truly
nay
os I
Nas-
“look like old regiments; and one cannot be bettei
pleased with them than I am, and must again thank you
“for them *.” His Majesty, however, declined the
Prince of Orange’s proposal to accompany the brigade to
England, fearing that His Highness might acquire too
much influence in this country.
The three English regiments arrived in the early part
of July ; and the rebel army having been overthrown at
Sedgemoor on the 6th of that month, they were not re-
quired to draw their swords in the contest ; but the pre-
sence of this celebrated body of men, at this critical
juncture, could not fail to strengthen the interest of the
court and overawe the disaffected. The brigade was en-
camped at Blackheath, and subsequently on Hounslow-
heath, where the King reviewed it, and expressed his
approbation of its warlike appearance, discipline, and
good conduct ; but the known staunch protestant prin-
ciples of many of the officers and men gave his Majesty
some concern. The three regiments (two of them now
the FrrtH and sixTH foot) obtained rank in the English
army from the date of their arrival in England, and
took precedence of the regiments raised by King James
ire,
nts
ver
re,
pa-
ght
ret
the
the
* Appendix to Dalrymple’s Memoirs of Great Britain and
Ireland.
14 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1685 during the rebellion, in consequence of the latter not
being completely organized when the brigade arrived.
The rank of Sir Henry Bevvasis’s regiment (now Sixty
Foor) was afterwards disputed in consequence of the
refusal, in the first instance, to proceed to England * ;
but a bnard of general officers decided this question in
its favour in 1694.
The rebellion having been suppressed, the English
brigade returned to the Netherlands in August } ; and
the Scots a short time afterwards. The King was de-
sirous of procuring the appointment of the Earl of
Pembroke to the command of the six regiments, which
was acceded to; but soon afterwards his Majesty pressed
the Prince of Orange and States of the United Pro-
vinces to confer this important trust on the Earl of
Carlingford, who was objected to (as the Earl of Dun-
barton had been in the time of Charles IT.), in conse-
quence of his being a papist : his Majesty was particularly
urgent on the subject ; but the States did not acquiesce.
1686 Soon afterwards events transpired which occasioned
Sir Henry BE vtasis to be removed from his regiment,
which was commanded, ad interim, by the Lieut.-Colo-
nel, WILLIAM BasineTon. Although this officer was
not appointed to the colonelcy, it was usually styled
1687 Bazsinaton’s regiment. The prevalence of French
councils at the British court, and the advances made by ;
the king towards the establishment of papacy and arbi- A
trary government, occasioned the nation to look to the
Prince of Orange as the only source from whence de-
liverance could be expected, and on the 27th of May,
1687, Sir Henry Bellasis wrote to the Prince as follows:
* Millan. 4
+ The pay of the Regiment for sixty days, from the 5th June
to the 3rd August, 1685, amounting to £1014. 8s. was charged
in the Accounts of the Army in England.
ok Re eee oe PRE BG TON FSS
Eee Se STEERS
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,
15
“IT have presumed by this worthy bearer to give your 1687
“ Highness the assurance of my devotion to your ser-
«vice in particular. ‘The testimony I have given to the
“world of my loyalty and sufferings for the crown,
“ obliges me in duty to pay the same to those who are
“so nearly related to it as the Princess Royal and your
‘¢ Highness. Though my hand be weak to express it,
‘Sor enlarge myself upon the subject, my heart shall
* supply that defect, in the profession I make *.”
The King felt some distrust at so efficient a body of
British troops being in the service of a protestant repub-
lic at the time when he was meditating the subversion
of the protestant religion and established laws of the
kingdom : he was desirous of recalling them from Hol-
land, and of transferring so many of them as would
return, particularly the officers and men who were of
the Roman Cativolic religion, to the service of France.
Louis XIV. had experienced the inconvenience of hav-
ing the regiments in his service suddenly recalled, as
the English and Scots corps were in 1678, and he de-
clined the offer; but as the re-uniting of England in
the communion of the church of Rome would further
his projects of personal aggrandisement, he proposed to
maintain a body of two thousand men in England, to
be principally of the Roman Catholic church. This
subject being arranged, King James wrote to the Prince
of Orange on the 17th of January, 1688, as follows:
“TI have charged my envoy, Mons. d’Abbeville, who
will give you this letter, to give you an account that
“Tthink it for my service to cali home the six regi-
“ ments of my subjects that are under your command
‘‘in the States’ service; and have written to the States
* Appendix to Dalrymple’s Memoirs of Great Britain and
Treland.
16 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1688 “ to the same purpose, and hope you will do your part
“to further their being embarked as soon as may be.
‘* What else I have to say on this subject I refer to my
“ envoy ; which is all I shall say now, but that you shall
“ find me as kind to you as you can desire *.”
The States well knowing the value of these favourite
corps, and anticipating the specdy arrival of a period
when they would have urgent occasion for the services
of every regiment, refused to comply with the King’s
demand, alleging they were not bound by the treaty
with the Earl of Ossory to send the six regiments to
England, unless the King was engaged in a foreign war,
or an insurrection at home, which was not the case.
His Majesty was, however, determined, if possible, to
deprive the States of the services of this select body of
men; and, after some further correspondence on the
subject, the following proclamation appeared in the Lon
don Gazette :—
“« James R.
“ Wuereas we think it for our service to call home
“ all our natural-born subjects who are now in the service
‘* of the States General of the United Provinces of the
‘¢ Netherlands, being either mariners and seafaring men,
‘‘ or officers and soldiers serving at land, We do, there-
‘* fore, by this Our royal proclamation, by and with the
‘¢ advice of Our privy council, streightly charge, require,
“and command all and singular masters of ships, pilots,
** mariners, seamen, shipwrights, and other seafaring
“men whatsoever, and wheresoever, and also all com-
“¢ manders, officers, and soldiers serving at land, being
‘‘ our natural-born subjects, who have betaken them-
* Appendix to Dalrymple’s Memoirs of Great Britain and
Treland.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 17
“selves unto, and now are in the pay or service of, the 1688
‘¢ States General of the United Provinces of the Nether-
* lands, or in the pay or service of any of their subjects,
‘*—That upon their known and bounden duty and
“ allegiance, they, and every of them, do quit the said
“respective services by sea or land, and return home to
“their native countries, within the times hereby pre-
‘ scribed,—that is to say, that all officers and com-
“ manders at land, whatsoever, who are now in the
“ service of the said States General, in any place or part
‘of the Netherlands or Low Countries, do quit the
“said service and return home within the space of two
“calendar months from the date hereof, and all other
‘persons hereinbefore mentioned, wherever they are
“or shall be hereafter, in as short a time, and with as
‘“‘ much speed, as they shall be able, wherein We do and
“ will expect all due obedience and conformity. And
“we do hereby further publish and declare, that all and
‘every the offenders to the contrary shall not only
“incur our high displeasure, but be rigorously pro-
“ ceeded against for such their offence, by all ways and
‘‘ means, according to the utmost severities of the law.—
« And we do hereby also authorize and command all
“and every Our captains, masters, and other officers
‘ serving and employed in any of our ships or vessels at
‘¢ sea, or elsewhere, and all and every other Our subjects
part
y be.
omy
shall
urite
eriod
vices
ing’s
‘eaty
s to
war,
case.
2, to
ly of
the
Lon
« whom it may concern, to seize, take, and bring away
“all such officers, mariners, and soldiers, and other
« persons aforesaid, as shall be found to be employed,
“or continue in the service aforesaid, in contempt of,
“and contrary to, the true intent and meaning of this
« Our proclamation.
«Given at Our Court at Whitehall, 14th March,
« 1687-8, in the fourth year of Our reign.”
c
18 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1688 Notwithstanding this proclamation, the States con-
tinued stedfast in their determination not to send
the six regiments home; but as some of the officers
were members of the Roman Catholic church, and it
being probable a rupture on the subject of religion
would shortly take place, they gave permission for as
many of the officers to return to England as_ chose.
About forty availed themselves of this opportunity and
quitted the Dutch service. The King sent a frigate to
bring them home. A few soldiers also withdrew from
Holland, and three regiments * were formed, of nearly
all papists, and taken into the pay of the King of France,
but they remained in England. The six British regi-
ments in the Dutch service were thus purged of Roman
Catholics, the vacancies were filled with men of staunch
protestant principles, and this distinguished body of men
was considered stedfastly devoted to the protestant in-
terest.
The Prince of Orange having been induced to proceed
to England with a powerful armament for the purpose
of rescuing the kingdom from the power of papacy, the
six regiments were selected to form part of the expe-
dition, and they were considered the most formidable
and efficient portion of his army. They mustered about
four thousand officers and men, were commanded by
Major-General Hugh Mackay, and sailed under a red
* The first was an English regiment, commanded by Colonel
John Hales, and contained ten officers and two hundred soldiers
of the Roman Catholic religion ; the second was commanded by
John Wachop, and contained twelve Roman Catholic officers and
about three hundred soldiers, who were principally Scots; and
the third was commanded by Roger M‘Eligott: it was an Irish
corps, an nearly every officer and man was of the Roman Ca-
tholic reli. .on.
con-
send
flicers
ind it
ligion
for as
those.
y and
ate to
from
early
rance,
regi-
oman
1unch
f men
it in-
oceed
rpose
» the
expe-
able
About
H by
a red
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
19
reasons which induced the Prince of Orange to engage
in this undertaking; and Captain Lanenam of Bapine-
Ton’s regiment * (now Sixrn Foor), arriving privately
in England, was seized and imprisoned, and a number
of the declarations were found in his portmanteau, which
were shown to the King. When the expressions im-
porting that the Prince of Orange was ‘* most earnestly
‘invited to come to England by divers of the lords,
“ both temporal and spiritual, and by many gentlemen
“and others,” were read, the King expressed great
indignation, and sent for such noblemen and bishops as
were in London, but none of them would acknowledge
that they had given such an invitation.
The Dutch armament passed Dover and proceeded
westward, while the English fleet, under the Earl of
Dartmouth, lay wind-bound at the mouth of the Thames ;
but a tender, on board of which were four companies of
the regiment which forms the subject of this memoir,
commanded by Major Ventris Columbine, was separated
from the remainder of the Dutch fleet by a gale of wind,
and captured by Captain Aylmer in His Majesty’s ship
the Swallow. The four companies were landed in De-
vonshire; they were treated as prisoners, and measures
were adopted to constrain them to enter King James's
service. Meanwhile the other eight companies of the
regiment continued their course, and landed on the 5th
of November with the remainder of the Prince’s army
* In the list of the Prince of Orange’s army published by au-
thority, the regiment, which is now the S1xrn Foor, is styled
“ The regiment which was formerly Bellasis’s ;” but in the ephe-
meral publications of that date it is styled “ Babington’s regi-
ment.”
c2
flag. A declaration was published, setting forth the 1688
20 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1688 on the Devonshire coast, from whence they advanced to
Exeter. The result may be told in a few words. The
English army refused to fight against the best interests
of the country. King James and his family fled to
France, and the Prince and Princess of Orange were
1689 elevated to the throne. Thus the S1xtu Reaiment had
the honour of taking a conspicuous part in the enter-
prise by which the established religion and laws of Great
Britain were preserved.
After his accession to the throne King William de-
tained this regiment in the south of England, and kept
it upon the Dutch establishment : consequently, in the
lists of the army given by Story and other historians of
this period, it is designated a Dutch regiment. Major
Columbine, and the other officers and men who were
captured by the Swallow, were restored with honour.
In May, 1689, the regiment was quartered in Lon-
don; in August it was encamped on Hounslow heath ;
it afterwards returned to London and was quartered in
the Tower Hamlets.
Sir Henry Bellasis having been appointed to succeed
the Duke of Norfolk in the colonelcy of a newly-raised
regiment (now twenty-second foot), the colonelcy of
the Sixru was conferred on the lieutenant-colonel, Wit-
LIAM Basineton, by commission dated the 28th of
September, 1689; and Major Columbine was appointed
lieutenant-colonel.
1690 Although England was delivered from the power of
papacy and despotism, a great part of Ireland was sub-
ject to King James and his adherents, whose cruel pro-
ceedings towards the protestants awakened the sympa-
thies of the English nation, and King William resolved
to proceed to the rescue of the unoffendir z sufferers.
Colonel Baxsineton’s regiment was one of the corps
t
t
F
f
s
(
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 21
selected to proceed to Ireland: it embarked at Highlake 1690
on the 12th of April, 1690, and immediately on landing
marched to the siege of Charlemont—a strong castle
situate on the angle formed by the confluence of the
river Canlin with the Blackwater, on the eastern side
of the county of Armagh, and erected in 1602 by Lord
Mountjoy, as a curb on the Earl of Tyrone, whose chief
mansion-house, with a strong fort, was at Dungannon,
about five miles north-west of it. Under the shelter of
this fort a town was built, which in 1689 was a corpo-
ration, sending members to parliament. It contained a
good garrison under Teague O’Regan, an old soldier
and a great humorist, who made a resolute defence.
The garrison being in want of provision, King James
sent a small supply, accompanied by a detachment of
five hundred men under Colonel M‘Mahon, who was
permitted to enter the castle, but not to return. On
the third night they attempted to force their way through
the besieging force, but were repulsed with the loss of
an officer and eight men; a second attempt made on the
following day was also unsuccessful; and during the
succeeding night they made another attempt, and were
driven back with the loss of sixteen men. O’Regan was
so incensed at their ill success, that he fastened the gates
upon them, and refused to admit them into the castle ;
and they were forced to make huts in the dry ditch
within the palisadoes and on the counterscarp. The
place being closely invested, the garrison was forced to
surrender in the middle of May for want of provision ;
and four companies of the Sixtn, commanded by the
major, took possession of the castle, where they found
seventeen pieces of cannon and a large mortar, also a
good supply of ammunition: but the fortress was found
22 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1690 in so filthy a condition, that the officers and men were
forced to encamp until it was thoroughly cleansed.
In the early part of June the regiment pitched its
tents on the undulating grounds near Armagh ; and the
regiments of Lloyd, Cutts, Hastings, and Fowkes, eleven
regiments of Danish horse and foot, and a brigade of
Dutch cavalry, afterwards joined the camp.
King William arrived in Ireland, and, advancing to
the banks of the Boyne, forced the passage of that river
on the Ist of July, and overthrew the army of King
James in a general engagement, in which the Sixru foot
had the honour to take part. The regiment was in Sir
Henry Bellasis’s brigade, and shared in the glory of this
memorable victory. ‘The number of killed and wounded
has not been ascertained ; but, as the regiment only mus-
tered four hundred and eighteen men at the general
review at Finglass on the 7th and 8ti.-. / «ly, its loss
may be supposed to have been great.
After delivering Dublin from the power of the pa-
pists, the regiment was detached against Athlone with
the division commanded by Lieut.-General Douglas,
who was a brave but rough soldier of fortune, and had
served under King William in the Netherlands. On
arriving before Athlone, a drummer was sent to summon
the garrison to surrender. The governor, Colonel Richard
Grace, of Moyelly castle, fired a pistol at the messenger,
and said, “ These are my terms; these only will I give
“or receive; and, after my provisions shall be consumed,
‘* T will defend Athlone until I eat my boots.” The siege
was afterwards commenced ; and a battery opened its fire
against the works: but the train of artillery proved too
weak to make a practicable breach ; and, ammunition
becoming scarce, Lieut.-General Douglas raised the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 23
siege and retired. He did not preserve strict discipline 16y.,
in the division committed to his charge, which was ac-
cused of many outrages on the peasantry. On arriving
at Ballymore, in the county of Westmeath, Basineton’s
(now SixTH) regiment was removed from Lieut.-General
Douglas’s command, and ordered to proceed to Dublin
to replace the regiments of Trelawny (now fourth) and
Hastings (now thirteenth), which were ordered to em-
bark for England.
The regiment remained a short time in garrison at
Dublin, from whence it was detached to occupy a line
of posts along the frontiers; and in November Lieut.-
Colonel Columbine, advancing from Roscrea, made an
incursion into the enemy’s quarters near the Shannon,
and in the neighbourhood of Nenagh, where he destroyed
a quantity of corn and captured two castles.
In April, 1691, Colonel Babington was succe:ded in 1691
the colonelcy of the regiment by Grorcre Prince oF
Hesse p’ArmstapT—an officer of distinguished merit,
who was appointed to serve on the staff of the army in
Ireland, with the rank of brigadier-general.
The regiment took the field with the army in May.
The first service of importance was the siege of Bally-
more, which fortress surrendered in the middle of June.
The troops subsequently advanced against Athlone, a
large and well-fortified town, divided into two unequal
portions, or towns, by the river Shannon. Here the
regiment was formed in brigade with ‘loyd’s (now
fifth), Cutts’, Nassau’s, and three Danish battalions,
commanded by Major-General the Count of Nassau
and Brigadier-General the Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt.
It furnished a detachment to attack by storm that part
of Athlone which stood on the side of the river next to
the army, called the English Town, which was captured
24 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1691 in gallant style on the 20thof June. Its grenadier com-
pany, and a detachment of pikemen and musketeers,
also formed part of the storming party selected to attack
the opposite side of the town on the 30th of June, The
tolling of the church-bell at six minutes after six o’clock
in the evening gave the signal for the attack, when the
forlorn hope, consisting of three officers and sixty grena-
diers in armour, sprang out of the trenches and plunged
into the river, which was waist deep, and rendered dif-
ficult by large stones. ‘Three thousand men, under
Major-General Mackay, seconded their efforts with
signal intrepidity ; and the soldiers, scrambling up the
breach in the face of a heavy fire, one helping another
up, soon overpowered all opposition, and in less than
half an hour were masters of the town. This gallant |
exploit was performed with the loss of twelve men killed,
and five officers and thirty men wounded: among the
latter was the colonel of this regiment—the Prince of
Hesse d’Armstadt, and Lieut.-Colonel Columbine. The
regiment remained at Athlone while the works were
being put in repair ; and, during a severe thunder-storm
on the 9th of July, it had two men killed and! three
dangerously injured by lightning *.
The Irish army, commanded by General St. Ruth,
retired and took upa position near Aghrim, where it
was attacked on the 12th of July, and the regiment had
another opportunity of signalizing itself in action. The
Prince of Hesse p’Armstapt headed his own corps, and 4
his characteristic intrepidity was so conspicuous on this :
oc «sion, that he has been accused of rashness. He was
again wounded ; but had the gratification of witnessing
the heroism of his men, who emulated his example, and
* Story’s History of the War in Ireland.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 25
com- the overthrow of the Irish army, before he quitted the 1691
eer, field. Night having put an end to the pursuit, the
tack regiment halted on the scene of conflict: its loss was
The ten men killed, and six officers and forty-five men
lock wounded.
| the General St. Ruth having been killed in action, the
ena- main body of the Irish army fled in terror and dismay
ged towards Limerick, and King William’s forces followed.
dif- On arriving at Galway the garrison was summoned, and
nder refused to surrender; but the river having been passed
with in boats, and a fort captured by storm, the governor
the capitulated on the 2lst of July. The next service in
ther which the regiment was engaged was the second siege
han of Limerick ; it was one of the corps which appeared
lant | before the town on the 15th of August, and on the 25th
led, it was detached with the regiments of Tiffin (twenty-se-
the venth foot) and St. John, seven hundred horse and dra-
> of : goons, and five pieces of cannon, under its colonel, the
[he Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt, against Castleconnell, a
ere | strong fortress on the river Shannon, four miles north of
rm Limerick, which surrendered after a siege of two days.
: The siege of Limerick was afterwards prosecuted with
vigour, and it was delivered up in the beginning of Oc-
tober. This event terminated the war in Ireland. The
regiment marched from Limerick to Dublin, where it
embarked for England on the 20th of December, and
after its arrival commenced recruiting its numbers.
After reposing a short time in comfortable quarters
in England, the regiment received orders to embark for
the Netherlands, to take part in che war with France;
and it served the campaign of 1692 with the army com-
manded by King William in person, by whom it was
reviewed at the camp at Genappe on the 29th of June,
in presence of the Elector of Bavaria and other distin-
26 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1692 guished persons. It was engaged in the manceuvres of
the main army, and formed part of the division which
attacked the French forces under Marshal Luxemburg,
in their position near Steenkirk, on the 24th of July.
It was one of the corps which supported the leading
column under the Duke of Wirtemberg, and, having
traversed some difficult grounds, formed with the cavalry
of the left wing on the verge of a large wood. A nar-
row valley appeared in front, beyond which were several
thick hedges, and the glittering arms and waving colours
of the French infantry were seen through the thick
foliage. After a sharp cannonade, the second battalion
of the first foot guards, the first battalion of the Royals,
the regiments of Fitzpatrick and O’Ffarrel, and two bat-
talions of Danes, commenced the attack: they were sup-
ported by the regiments of Hesse p’Armstapt (Sixt),
Cutts, Mackay, Leven’s (twenty-fifth foot), Angus
(twenty-sixth foot), Graham, and Lawder. These corps
behaved with an intrepidity and valour which re-
dounded to their honour: they drove the enemy from
hedge to hedge, and gained considerable advantage.
They were, however, not promptly sustained by the main
body of the army under Count Solms, who neglected the
King’s orders, and occasioned the loss of the battle.
Harris, in his History of the Life of King William, states,
« The King, enraged at the disappointment of the van-
“ guard, expressed his concern by often repeating, ‘Oh !
‘* iny poor English, how they are abandoned !’ nor would
« he admit Count Solms to his presence for many months
“* after.”
The Sixtu nobly sustained their reputation, and
fought manfully, resisting the superior numbers of the
enemy with signal firmness: their commanding officer,
Lieut.-Colonel Foxon, fell mortally wounded: the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 27
French legions — dragoons, musketeers, pikemen, and 1692
grenadiers—crowded round this devoted corps in great
numbers, and it sustained considerable loss. The King
ordered a retreat, and the regiment withdrew from the
field a mere skeleton. Its loss in killed and wounded
was so great, that on the 8th of August it was ordered
into quarters at Malines, and in September it embarked
for England. After landing at Gravesend, a number
of officers and serjeants were sent to various parts of
England to procure recruits.
During the winter of 1693 the regiment again em- 1693
barked for the Netherlands. It was employed in garri-
son duty in Flanders; and its colonel, the Prince of
Hesse d’Armstadt, being a Roman catholic, transferred
his services to the crown of Spain. He was succeeded,
in February, 1694, by Henry Marquis de Rada, son of 1694
the Marquis de Montpouillan. During the winter of
this year the regiment was in garrison at Bruges.
On taking the field in May, 1695, the regiment left 1695
its colonel, the Marquis de Rada, dangerously ill of a
fever in Bruges. It was encamped a short time on the
canal between Ghent and Bruges, under the orders of
Lieut.-General Sir Henry Bellasis; and subsequently
with the main army, commanded by King William in
person, near Arseele, where it was formed in brigade
with a battalion of the hoyals, and the regiments of Sey-
mour, Granville, Saunderson, and Colyear, commanded
by Brigadier-General Sir David Colyear. The King
was at the head of one hundred and twenty thousand
men, and the French generals headed upwards of a
ind hundred thousand men. These two powerful armies
the confronted each other; and his Majesty, having by skil-
er,
ful movements drawn the enemy to the Flanders side
of their line of entrenchments, invested Namur. This
98 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
fortress was accounted one of the strongest and most
important in the Netherlands, both by its situation and
fortifications: it commanded two great rivers, the
Sambre and the Maese; and its castle, which stood on
a hill in an angle formed by the confluence of these
rivers, was deemed almost impregnable. Such stupen-
dous fortifications, defended by a numerous garrison,
supplied with every thing requisite for a protracted de-
fence, and commanded by a governor who was esteemed
by his king, and beloved by the soldiers, seemed to defy
the most powerful and best-appointed army that could
be brought against it; and, when the veteran Marshal
Boufflers had thrown himself with a large reinforcement
into the town, this mass of fortifications was looked upon as
a rock on which the grand confederacy of the allies would
split. These difficulties stimulated the British monarch
to greater exertions; and the Sixtu, after remaining a
short time with the covering army commanded by Charles
Henry of Lorraine, Prince of Vaudemont, was ordered
to join the forces employed in the siege, and to take part
in the attack of this vast fortress. While on the march
the Marquis de Rada died at Bruges, and King William
conferred the colonelcy on an officer who had formerly
served with distinction in the regiment, Venrris Co-
LUMBINE, from captain and lieutenant-colonel in the foot
guards. This officer was highly esteemed in the corps,
and, assuming the command of it before Namur, he had
additional opportunities of signalizing himself.
The regiment was on duty in the trenches on the 6th,
10th, and 13th of July; and on the 17th it los: a num-
ber of men while engaged in storming the counterscarp :
it had also Captain Young killed, and Lieut. Dorrington
and Ensign Drobas wounded. On the L9th it was again
on duty in the trenches, and lost several men; and dur-
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 99
ing the night of the 23rd it was engaged in extending 1695
the lodgment to the right. A practicable breach having
been made, the enemy surrendered the town on the fol-
lowing day, and retired to the castle, resolving to make
a desperate defence. This was one of the regiments
engaged in the siege of the castle, and was encamped at
a place called Maison Blanche; but, having sustained
considerable loss, it was relieved on the 11th of August,
and joined the covering army under the Prince of Vau-
demont, who had recently quitted his position at Water-
loo, and was encamped within seven miles of Namur.
A detachment from the grenadier company was engaged
in storming the breaches of the Terra Nova and Cohorne
on the 20th of August, under Lord Cutts. This proved
a most severe service ; a lodgment was made along the
covered way and entrenchments, but with the loss of
above a thousand English, besides Bavarians, Prussians,
and Dutch. The grenadier company of this regiment
lost several men, and had Captain Cummins killed, and
Lieutenant Twinhoe wounded.
The fire against the castle was continued, and prepa-
rations made for another assault, when the garrison beat
a parley, and agreed to surrender. Thus the capture of
this important fortress, which was accounted the bulwark
of Brabant, was achieved, and the reputation of the Bri-
tish monarch and his troops exalted. After the works
were repaired, Colonel CotvmBine marched with his
regiment into quarters at Bruges, where he expected to
pass the winter ; but circumstances occurred which
occasioned his return to England.
The French monarch, finding his ambitious projects 1696
frustrated, attempted to excite a rebellion in England
in favour of King James, who was residing at the French
court, and prepared an armament to second the malcon-
830 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1696 tents. At the same time a plot was formed to assassin-
ate King William when on his return from hunting.
On the discovery of these designs, this, with a number
of other regiments, was ordered home. The Sixtn
embarked at Ostend in the early part of March, 1696,
landed at Gravesend in the middle of that month, and
went into quarters. The plot was discovered, the de-
signs of the enemy were frustrated, and the King pro-
ceeded to the Netherlands to take the command of the
army.
In June, 1696, the regiment was on duty at Windsor;
and in July it was encamped in Windsor forest.
1697 After passing twelve months in England, the regi-
ment received orders to return to the Netherlands: it
landed at Williamstadt in the beginning of July, 1697,
and joined the confederate army before Brussels, where
it was reviewed by his Majesty: it remained before
Brussels until hostilities were terminated by the treaty
of Ryswick, when it was ordered to return to England.
It landed at Gravesend in November, 1697, and marched
to Huntingdon. It subsequently proceeded to Ireland,
1698 where it arrived in August, 1698, and remained until,
1699 another war breaking out in Europe, its services were
1700 again required abroad in the defence of the crown and
1701 kingdom against the projects of the court of France.
1702 The hope of coutinued tranquillity, with the prospect
that this country would be enabled to develop its re-
sources and make rapid advances in arts, manufactures,
and commerce, under the auspices and benign influence
of peace at home and abroad, soon passed away: a
Bourbon prince ascended the Spanish throne, when pre-
parations for war were made, and Colonel CoLumBing
received orders to recruit his regiment to seven hundred
rank and file. ‘The decease of King William, and the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, 31
accession of Queen Anne, on the 8th March, 1702, pro- 1702
duced no alteration in the foreign policy of the British
court ; and in a few weeks after Her Majesty's accession
the regiment proceeded to the Isle of Wight, where it
pitched its tents preparatory to some expedition, the des-
tination of which was kept secret. In the early part of
June it was reviewed, with nine other battalions of in-
fantry, and two hundred dragoons, by Prince George of
Denmark, generalissimo of her Majesty’s land and sea
forces, and was complimented on its appearance and dis-
cipline. The Duke of Ormond assumed the command
of the expedition, and the regiment embarked on board
the St. George, Jacob, and Gosport transports *, and
put tosea. Arriving off the coast of Andalusia, in Spain,
the troops ascertained they were destined to maxe an
attempt on the strong fortress of Cadiz: a landing was
effected in the middle of August, during a high wind,
and about thirty boats, crowded with soldiers, were over-
turned by the surge. The town of Rota, on the north side
of Cadiz bay, the town of Port St. Mary’s, at the mouth of
the river Guadalete, and Fort St. Catherine, were captured.
The wealthy and flourishing town of Port St. Mary’s
was found deserted by the inhabitants ; positive orders
had been given against plundering ; but the officers neg-
lecting to enforce strict obedience occasioned the most
unfortunate results. ‘The hungry and thirsty soldiers
forced open the houses in search of refreshment ; finding
abundance of excellent wine, they drank freely, and,
under its influence, commenced plundering the town. An
immense quantity of valuable merchandize and other
property was removed on board the fleet, and some of
* The original embarkation return of the regiment is preserved
among the Harleian Manuscripts, No. 7025.
32 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1702 the officers were guilty of securing for themselves many
costly articles: thus, such of the inhabitants as were
previously disposed to favour the allies became hostile,
and the public cause suffered by the want of strict dis-
cipline. Cadiz was found better prepared for resistance
than had been expected, and the expedition proved of
insufficient strength for the capture of this fortress. The
troops were re-embarked, and they subsequently pro-
ceeded to Vigo, where a valuable Spanish fleet had ar-
rived from the West Indies, in charge of a French
convoy. The grenadiers and eight battalions of infantry
landed on the south side of the river, seven miles from
the town : this regiment formed part of the first brigade,
which landed under the Duke of Ormond and Brigadier-
General Hamilton; a strong fort and a battery were
carried by storm, the fleet forced an entrance, and the
French and Spanish shipping were all taken and de-
stroyed. Many Spanish seamen escaped on shore and
took with them much valuable property: a soldier of
Captain Brown’s company of this regiment captured a
Spanish mariner who was carrying off an immense silver
dish of curious workmanship, which was delivered up to
the proper authorities *.
The expedition returned to England, where the regi-
ment arrived in the early part of November, and was
stationed at Canterbury ; it received £561. 10s. prize-
money. Queen Anne went in triumphal cavalcade to St.
Paul’s cathedral to return thanks for this success ; and the
troops received the thanks of parliament for their conduct
In a few weeks after its return from Vigo the regi-
ment was ordered to hold itself in readiness to proceed to
* A note ackowledging the receipt of this dish is preserved
in the British Museum.— Bib]. Harl., 7025.
lany
vere
stile,
dis-
ance
d of
The
pro-
| ar-
anch
ntry
rom
ade,
lier-
were
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, 33
Portsmouth, where it embarked on board the fleet under
Vice-Admiral Graydon. The object of the expedition
was the capture of Placentia and Newfoundland; but
the enemy’s force was found too strong, and, after re-
maining a short time in the West Indies, the regiment
returned to England. It landed in October following
at Portsmouth, from whence it was removed into
quarters at Southampton and other towns in that
neighbourhood.
On the decease of Colonel Ventris Columbine, Her
Majesty couferred the colonelcy on the lieutenant-colonel,
James Rivers, by commission dated the 2nd of Novem-
ber, 1703: xt the same time Major Witiiam Sourn-
WELL was appointed lieutena: ¢-colonel.
The quarters were extended to Worcester in April,
1704, and a detach:nent was sent to the Isle of Wight :
in August following the regiment proceeded to Ply-
mouth, where it passed the succeeding winter.
Meanwhile the war was raging in the Netherlands,
Germany, Italy, and other parts of the continent, and an
attempt was being made to place Archduke Charles of
Austria on the throne of Spain by force of arms. Gib-
raltar had been captured by the combined English and
Dutch fleets, and in connexion with these events the re-
giment was embarked at Plymouth in May, 1705, under
the Ea:i of Peterborough, to take part in the war. The
design oi this expedition was either to aid the Duke of
Savoy in driving the French out of Italy, to make an
attempt on Naples and Sicily, or to further the progress
of the Archduke in Spain. ‘The fleet arrived at the
capital of Portugal in June, and additional forces were
embarked : at the same time Archduke Charles went on
board the fleet to share in the toils and dangers of the
enterprise. From Lisbon the expedition proceeded to
D
the West Indies ; and in January, 1703, it marched to 1703
1704
1705
34 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1705 Gibraltar, where it was joined by the former colonel of
the Stxtu—the Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt, and a re-
inforcement from the garrison.
From Gibraltar the fleet proceeded to the bay of Altea,
in Valencia; and while at this small port the officers and
soldiers had opportunities of observing the attachment of
the inhabitants of that part of Spain to the house of
Austria. A thousand Catalonians and Valentians, who
had thrown off their allegiance to the house of Bourbon,
and had acknowledged Archduke Charles as the sove-
reign of Spain, seized on the town of Denia, while others
made demonstrations of giving effectual aid to the expe-
dition ; and such a spirit of enterprise was evinced by
King Charles, the Earl of Peterborough, the Prince of
Hesse d’Armstadt, and others, that every officer and man
caught the ardent zeal of the superior officers, and re-
solved to do something great and noble. Under these
feelings the famous city of Barcelona, the capital of
Catalonia, and one of the most ancient towns in Spain,
was selected to be the scene of the first attempt. Its
situation, on a plain near the sea,—with a mole capable
of containing only galleys and small ships,—defended by
ten bastions, several old towers and other works,—with
a strong castle and citadel, called Montjuich, on a hill
on the west side and commanding the town ; the garri-
son consisting of between five and six thousand men, under
the viceroy of Catalonia, Don Francis de Velasco ;—and
the besieging army being uiavle to bring more than seven
thousand men into the lines; these circumstances, with
the fact, that, in 1697, this fortress resisted a French
army of thirty thousand men eight weeks with open
trenches, and cost the French monarch twelve thousand
men, gave an interesting and romantic character to this
enterprise, in which the Sixru gained much honour, and
which produced a great sensation throughout Europe.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 35
The troops landed near the river Bassoz, about three 1705
miles east of Barcelona, on the 23rd and 24th of August.
On the 28th King Charles came on shore, when the in-
habitants of the neighbouring towns and villages flocked
to the camp with demonstrations of joy, and many took
arms to act as guerilla bands and miquelets; but the
progress of the siege was celayed by opposite opinions
and views among the superior officers. ‘Such were the
‘‘ unhappy circumstances of the Earl of Peterborough in
“the camp before Barcelona: impossibilities proposed ;
‘‘no expedients to be accepted; a court reproaching ;
« councils of war rejecting; and the Dutch general re-
“fusing the assistance of the troops under his com-
‘©mand.’* Yet all these difficulties were overcome; and
an attack by storm on the detached fortress of Mont-
juich was resolved upon, in which the grenadiers of the
Sixt, headed by their Lieutenant-Colonel, Wittiam
SoutuwE tL, had the honour to take the lead. The
storming party of four hundred grenadiers, with a sup-
port of six hundred musketeers, commanded by the Earl
of Peterborough and the Prince of Hesse d’Armstadt,
commenced their march about ten o’clock on the night
of Sunday the 13th of September, round the mountains,
and were followed by another detachment and a party of
dragoons. After traversing many miles of rugged moun-
tain scenery by difficult tracts, the storming party ap-
peared before the fortress, and received a discharge of
small arms and artillery from the garrison. The Prince
of Hesse d’Armstadt and Lord Charlemont directed
Licut.-Colonel Sournwe.t of the Srxtn to commence
the attack ; and instantly springing forward at the head
of the grenadiers, this g «nt officer led the storming
party to the assault with signal intrepidity and resolution,
The native energy and contempt of danger of the British
* Carleton’s Memoirs.
1705
36 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
soldier was eminently displayed : SournweEtu and _ his
grenadiers climbed the steep rock in the face of a storm
of fire from the garrison,—entered the covered way and
the ditch, sword in hand,—ascended to the top of a cur-
tain which was not quite finished, one soldier helping
another up, and, notwithstanding the vigorous resistance
of the enemy, gained the bulwark of a new fortification.
Here some sharp fighting took place: thrice Lieut.-Colo-
nel SouTHWELL was surrounded, but he overthrew his
adversaries with matchless valour, and the enemy was
driven from that post into the castle. The men, at the other
points of attack, had also proved successful,—a consider-
able portion of the outworks were carried,—a temporary
breastwork and entrenchment were speedily constructed,
—and three pieces of cannon, which had been captured,
were made use of to defend it. The Prince of Hesse
d’Armstadt afterwards advanced with a body of men
along the curtain which led to the ditch of the inward
fort, and fell mortally wounded ; two hundred and fifty
of the men were made prisoners by the enemy; at the
same time a large reinforcement was seen advancing from
the .own to aid the garrison in the castle, and the soldiers
received orders to retire from some of the inferior officers.
The Earl of Peterborough rushed to the spot, counter-
manded the order, seized the half-pike out of Lord Char-
lemont’s hands, and rallied and led back the soldiers to
the posts they had so nobly won: the Spaniards who
were advancing from the town turned back, and the out-
works of the fortress of Montjuich were thus gained. Bat-
teries were constructed, and the inner works were assailed
with cannon-balls, bombs, and grenades. On the 17th of
September, Lieut.-Colonel Sournwe tt of the Sixtu,
being on duty in the trenches with his regiment, observed
that the bombs, thrown by a Dutch bombardier from a
small mortar, fell to the left of the fort, and concluding
his
form
and
cur-
ping
ance
tion,
/0lo-
+ his
was
ther
ider-
rary
sted,
red,
[esse
men
ard
fifty
the
rom
Hiers
ers.
ter-
are
s to
who
put-
Bat-
iled
h of
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 37
there was a magazine in the place, he traversed the mortar
a little to the right, himself, and fired it; and the bomb
falling into a little chapel where the garrison had stored
a great quantity of powder, it blew up, and the governor,
a Neapolitan named Don Charlete Caracholi, witha num-
ber of other officers and men, weie buried in the ruins.
The intrepid Souruwett called a few soldiers forward,
and, advancing sword in hand to take advantage of the
confusion, was met by the surviving officers and men of
the garrison, who laid down their arms and surrendered
the fortress ; Lieut.-Colonel Sournwett took possession
of the works; and King Charles hastened to the spot and
embraced the lieut.-colonel in a transport of joy. ‘Thus
the strong castle and citadel of Montjuich was captured ;
and Lieut.-Colonel Sournwe.t of the SixtH was re-
warded with the appointment of governor. *
The capture of Montjuich facilitated the siege of the
city of Barcelona, which was persecuted with vigour : the
miquelets and armed Catalonians blocked up the avenues
of the town, and the soldiers were incessant in their
exertions. ‘** The admirals forgot their element, and acted
** as general officers at land; they came every day from
* their ships with a body of men formed into companies,
«and commanded by captains and lieutenants of their
‘“own.”+ Cannon and mortars were dragged up steep
precipices by men; and a practicable breach having been
made, a body of soldiers prepared to attack the city by
* It seems remarkable that the distinguished conduct of Lieut.-
Colonel SourHwett of the SixtH has not been alluded to by
many historians who have written accounts of the capture of
Barcelona: his personal bravery and success were, however, re-
corded in the “ Annals of Queen Anne ;” in the “ Present State
of Europe ;” and in a few other works published at the time.
+ Carleton.
rane een eden
sana e
Saree ae ae =
1705
38 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
storm ; but the effusion of blood, whick would have at-
tended this enterprize, was spared by th 2 surrender of the
garrison. A number of miquelets entered the city
through the breach with the design of plundering the par-
tisans of the Bourbon dynasty. The governor being very
unpopular, and suspected of a design to remove many of
the prisoners, wes surrounded by an enraged mob: but
the Earl of Peterborough entered the town on the 14th
of October with a troop of dragoons and the grenadiers
of the army, put a stop to the plundering of the miquelets,
and prevented the slaughter of the governor and his gar-
rison; at the same time such excellent order and disci-
pline were preserved among the English soldiers, that their
conduct has been lauded by historians. The capture of
Barcelona gave additional reputation to the arms of the
allies, and this splendid achievement was the theme of
conversation and a subject of astonishment throughout
Europe. It was accompanied by the submission of nearly
all Catalonia, the largest and richest province of Spain ;
and, as Boyer, the historian of these wars, observes,
‘¢ all the generals, admirals, orficers, private soldiers, and
‘* seamen, engaged in this memorable expedition, deserved
“ each their share of the honour.”
King Charles commenced forming a Spanish army for
his service: he soon had five hundred dragoons for a
guard, and six regiments of foot. He was joiiicd by Colo-
nel Nebot, who forsook the service of King Philip with a
regiment of horse ; and in a short time the province of
Valencia submitted to the Austrian prince.
1706 The regimeni continued under the immediate directions
of the Earl of Peterborough, with whose achievements its
services are conne.ted; and his raising the siege of S¢.
Mattheo, the capture of Morviedro, his exploits in J a-
lencta, and the relief of the capital of that province—suc-
Hat
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 39
cesses gained with a small body of soldiers over a nume- 1706
rous army—carry with them the appearance of fiction and
romance more than of sober truth; but being supported
by abundance of collateral and direct evidence, the truth
of these achievements cannot be doubted. Unfortunately,
no documents have been met with to prove what particu-
lar corps his lordship left in garrison, and what corps he
took with him in his daring enterprise in Valencia; the
part taken by the first royal and eighth dragoons, the
thirteenth, thirtieth, and thirty-fourth foot, and a few
other corps, can be clearly made out from history ; but
whether the Sixtn remained in garrison in Catalonia, or
was employed in the enterprise in Valencia, has not been
ascertained.
While employed in this part of Spain, the colonel of
the regiment, James Rivers, died, and Lieut.-Colonel
WituaMm Sournwett, having been sent to England
with despatches, was promoted bv Queen Anne to the
coloneley: he kissed her Majesty's hand on the appoint-
ment on the 14th of March, 1706, and hastened back to
Spain to join his regiment.
King Charles and his counsellors, instead of exerting
themselves to provide for the security of the towns which
had come into their possession, and collecting the means
for future conquests, spent their time and money in balls
and public diversions. The breaches in Barcelona and
the detached fortress of Montjuich were left unrepaired,
and the garrison unprovided for a siege. Meanwhile
King Philip was obtaining reinforcements from the fron-
tiers of Poriugal, from Italy, Provence, Flanders, and
the Rhine, and he soon appeared at the head of above
twenty thousand men to re-capture the provinces he had
lost. A powerful French and Spanish force approached
Barcelona by land ; a French fleet appeared before the
40 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1706 town; and, the garrison being weak in numbers, regiments
were hurried from other places, one English regiment tra-
velling one hundred and twenty miles on mules, in two
days, to take part in the defence of Barcelona. ‘The
siege was commenced in the beginning of April, 1706,
when the soldiers repaired ‘he breaches, and a des-
perate and resolute defence wo» made.
The Hari of Peterboroug!: hastened from Valencia
with a body of select troops, but found the town so
closely beset that he was unable to force his way into it,
when he took to the meuniains, and harassed the enemy
with skirmishes and night-alarms. The Sixra was one
of the corps winch b:...! the honour of sharing in the de-
fence of this important city, and British valour was con-
spicucusly displayed. When the garrison was nearly
exhausted, its numbers decreased from deaths, wounds,
sickness, and other causes, to about a thousand effective
men, and a practical breach was ready for the enemy to
attack the place by storm, the English and Dutch fleet
arrived with five regiments of foot, the French fleet hur-
ried from before the town, and the reinforcements were
landed. Barcelona being thus relieved, the enemy,
having lost five thousand men before the town, made a
precipitate retreat on the 12th of May, leaving two hun-
dred brass cannon, thirty mortars, and vast quantities of
ammunition and provision behind them, together with the
sick and wounded of their army, whom Marshal de ‘Iessé
recommended to the humanity of the British commander.
During the siege, the reads by which the enemy could
return into the heart of Spain had been broken up, and
other obstructions raised among the mountains and de-
files, and the line of retreat so crowded with armed pea-
santry, that the French army was forced to return to
France, and re-enter Spain by the passes of the Pyrenean
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. Al
mountains. Thus Barcelona was preserved by British 1706
skill, valour and perseverance ; that part of Spain was
delivered from the presence of the enemy; and the
forces were at liberty to engage in new enterprises.
An immediate advance upon Madrid was resolved
upon, and the Marquis das Minas and Earl of Galway,
who commanded a British, Portuguese, and Dutch force
on the frontiers of Portugs!, were requested to penetrate
boldly to the capital of Spain. To engage in this enter-
prise the Sixtu embarked from Barcelona, and proceeded
by sea to Valencia, where King Charles was expected to
arrive with the cavalry by land. While in Valencia the
regiment furnished a detachment of non-commissioned
officers and soldiers, which, with similar detachments
from other regiments of foot, were formed into a regi-
ment of dragoons, called the Earl of Peterborough’s
regiment.
From Valencia the regiment was detached, under the
orders of Major-General Wyndham, to besiege Requena
and Cuenza, which places lay on the line of march from
Valencia to Madrid, and were both captured after a short
resistance. Meanwhile the army from Portugal had
penetrated to Madrid, and was anxiously awaiting the
arrival of King Charles, who, following the pernicious
advice of his Italian counsellors, delayed his journey, and
eventually proceeded by way of Arragon. This gave
time for the French and Spanish troops under King
Philip to re-enter Spain; and, uniting with the forces
under the Duke of Berwick, the enemy had a great
superiority of numbers. The allies were forced to re-
tire from their forward position; and on the 13th of Sep-
tember, the Sixr# and other corps under Major-General
Wyndham joined the army at Veles. The troops con-
tinued their route towards the frontiers of Valencia and
Murcia, where they remained during the winter.
42 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
707 The Sixtu now formed part of the allied army, which
was composed of English, Spaniards, Portuguese, and
Dutch, commanded by the Marquis das Minas and the
Far! of Galway, and took the field for offensive opera-
tions in the early part of April, 1707. After destroying
several of the enemy’s magazines, the siege of the castle
of Villena was undertaken; and while this was in pro-
gress, a French and Spanish force, of very superior
numbers, commanded by the Duke of Berwick, advanced
to the plains of Almanza. As the enemy expected the
arrival of reinforcements under the Duke of Orleans, the
allied generals, though much inferior in numbers to their
opponent, resolved to attack him without delay *.
* Effective strength of the British forces in Spain at the time
of the battle of Almanza, from the weekly return dated 22nd of
April, 1707.
AT THE BATTLE.
Men.
Harvey’s Horse, now 2nd Dragoon Guards. 227
Carpenter’s Dragoons, now 3rd Light eae, 290
Essex’s ditto, now 4th Light Dragoons . rs
Killegrew’s ditto, now 8th Hussars ‘ ‘ 51
Pearce’s ditto, disbanded . ‘ : 273
Peterborough’s ditto, ditto . ‘ ‘ ‘ 303
Guiseard’s ditto, ditto . ‘ ‘ < : 228
Foot Guards ‘ : ‘ ; A ‘ 400
Portmore’s, now 2nd Foot . . A : 462
Southwell’s, 6th ditto , ; 2 F 505
Stewart’s, 9th ditto : F , ‘ ; 467
Hill's, 11th ditto . ‘ ; : ‘ ; 472
Blood’s, 17th ditto . 3 ; ‘ F 461 “
Mordaunt’s, 28th ditto ‘ . g ; 532
Wade's, 33rd ditto ‘ , i ‘ ; 458
Gore's, 35th ditto , : ; é ‘ 616
Alnutts’, 36th ditto ‘ 3 ; : ; 412
Montjoy’s, disbanded . ‘ ‘ ; ; 508
Mackartney’s, ditto 7 : ; F i 494
Bretton’s, ditto . ‘ : : . : 428
John Caulfield’s, ditto . ; ; F ‘ 470
Lord Mark Kerr’s, ditto é ; . ‘ 419
Count Nassau’s, ditto : : ; ; 422 :
Total £9} |
thich
and
the
yera-
ying
astle
pro-
Prior
nced
the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 43
Advancing in four columns, on the 25th of April, over 1707
many miles of rugged ground, and exposed to a burning
sun, the army entered a large plain, and about half-past
two in the afternoon the advanced-guard arrived in front
of the enemy’s camp : at three, the soldiers, though faint,
and their bodily strength exhausted with the march, ad-
vanced boldly to the attack.
The Sixtu were formed in brigade with the seven-
teenth, thirty-third, and Lord Montjoy’s regiments,
under Major-General Wade, and were posted between
two brigades of cavalry, in the left wing of the front line.
The Earl of Galway commenced the action by leading
the left brigade through a hollow way to attack the
enemy’s right: the British dragoons, after gaining some
advantage, and ascending a height on which a battery
was placed, were overpowered by superior numbers and
forced to retire. The Sixty and thirty-third advanced
to support the dragoons, and opening a sharp fire on the
flank of the French horse and Spanish life-guards, put
them in disorder; at the same time the English dragoons
rallied and returned tu the charge, and the enemy was
driven back with great siaug’ter. The French and
Spanish horsemen returned to the charge; but ‘vere
again driven back by the fire of the Sixrn and thirty-
In Garrison and Quarters.
Royal Dragoons, at Culera . ° : ‘ 302
Royal Fusiliers, - ,
Two Battalions Marines, ar GHOBe:) « ; reed
Hotham’s,
Sybourg’s,
Blossett’s,
One Battalion Marines, ’
Eliott’s, or
Watkin's, } at Gibraltar. ; 800
Detachments at Denia
| at Alicant . ; 1200
{
44 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1707 third regiments. Meanwhile the battle was extending
along the line; the ground was contested with varied
success; but the British and Dutch battalions, in the
centre, obliged the enemy to give way. A few French
squadrons advanced to charge the cavalry on the right ;
the Portuguese squadrons faced about and fled from the
field without waiting to be attacked ; and several bat-
talions of Portuguese infantry followed the example.
Nine battalions of French and Spanish infantry ad-
vanced to that part of the field where the Stxtn and
thirty-third were engaged; the two regiments con-
fronted the overwhelming numbers of the enemy nobly,
and being joined by the ninth, seventeenth, and Lord
Montjoy’s regiments, disputed the ground with sangui-
nary obstinacy ; but while the contest was still raging, a
body of fresh French and Spanish cavalry overpowered
and drove back the allied squadrons on the left. The
five regiments (S1xtH, ninth, seventeenth, thirty-third,
and Lord Montjoy’s) were thus left unsupported : they
were attacked by nine battalions of the enemy, and, while
bravely contending with the seven Lattalions which as-
sailed them in front, they were charge? in flank by the
other two, broken, and driven from the field with great
loss: a few only of the officers and men of the SixtH
escaped being killed or taken prisoners. The two French
battalions which attacked them in flank, pursuing with
eagerness, were cut to pieces by Harvey’s horse, now
second dragoon guards, who were in turn overpowered
by the superior numbers of the enemy.
The fight still raged in the centre; but the flanks being
defeated, the enemy surrounded the centre and made a
great slaughter. Major-General Shrimpton, Brigadier-
General Macartney, Colonels Britton and Hill, and
several other officers, collected the broken remains of the
ding
ried
the
inch
ht ;
the
bat-
ad-
and
one
bly,
ord
ri
ra
red
‘he
rd,
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. AD
English regiments, which fought in the centre, into a
body, and united them with some of the Dutch and Por-
tuguese, who had been rallied by Count de Dhona and
Don Juan Emanuel, and formed a body of nearly four
thousand men, who retreated two leagues; but were pur-
sued by the enemy, whom they repeatedly repulsed.
Arriving at the woody hills of Caudete, the men were so
exhausted with fatigue that they were unable to proceed ;
they passed the night in the wood, where they were sur-
rounded by the enemy ; and on the following morning,
being without ammunition, ignorant of the country, des-
titute of provisions, and without the hope of a supply,
they surrendered prisoners of war. Such was the result
of this unfortunate battle, where the faint and wearied
soldiers were hurried forward to fight superior numbers
of fresh troops, commanded by a renowned general: but,
notwithstanding these disadvantages, the author of the
Annals of Queen Anne observes :—‘“ Had the Portuguese
‘ bravely seconded the English and Dutch, who, with
“ unparalleled resolution and undauntedness broke the
‘* enemy’s centre, it is the opinion of many that victory
‘‘ would have inclined to the confederate side; or, at
‘least, that the latter might have made an honourable
‘‘ retreat, and, considering the vast disproportion of the
‘‘ forces, have gained the glory of the day.”
The loss of the Sixrn was very great: Lieutenant-
Colonel M‘Neal, Captains Columbine, Drake, Campbell,
and Justiene, Lieutenants Harvey and Emmery, and En-
signs Sarracen and Watts were killed ; Captains Bennett
and Hussey were taken prisoners; and Lieutenants Beau-
ford, Columbine, Babingion, Magee, M‘Neal, and Camp-
bell, Ensigns Beckwith, Morgan, and Reynolds, Quar-
ter-Master Begham, Surgeon Dilpach, and Surgeon’s-
Mate Macdonald, were wounded and taken prisoners.
1707
SN a Ba
he :
pearl att P a a UN te nit
46 H/}STORICAL RECORD OF
1707 The few offices: and men of the regiment who escaped
from the field of battle proceeded to Alcira, a strong
town on the river Xucar, where they joined the cavalry
with which the Earl of Galway had made good his re-
treat ; and the approach to the town being by almost
inaccessible mountains, they halted a few days to re-
organise the army. On the advance of the French and
Spanish forces commanded by the Duke of Orleans, the
Earl of Galway placed a garrison in Alcira, and removed
to Tortosa, and the Sixtn were among the troops which
encamped on the banks of the river Ebro, about two
miles above the city. Meanwhile many of the men who
had been taken prisoners, escaped and returned to their
regiments; detachments were called in, and the troops
took up a position beyond the Ebro. On the 22nd of
May the French light cavalry appeared on the hills ;
on the following day their army encamped against the
town, and the Sixru were engaged in the defence of a
small village and téte du pont to the bridge of boats,
which last post was held for several days. The enemy
having passed the Ebro, the regiment was removed to
Tarragona, and subsequently to Las Borgues.
The Duke of Orleans having besieged Lerida, some
arrangements were made to attempt to relieve the gar-
rison, and the army encamped within a few miles of the
town; but a sufficient number of troops could not be
assembled to enable the Earl of Galway to attack the
besieging army with any hope of success. After the
surrender of the castle, the regiment marched back to
Tarragona for winter quarters, and its ranks were com-
pleted by drafts from the second foot and other regi-
ments which were ordered to return. to England to
recruit.
1708 During the winter the Earl of Galway proceeded to
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 47
Portugal, where he remained in a diplomatic capacity.
The British troops in Spain were commanded ‘sy ‘Viajor-
General Carpenter, and in the spring of 1708 by Major-
General Stanhope—afterwards Earl Stanhope: the
united English, Germans, Spaniards, Portuguese, and
Dutch, comprising the army of King Charles in Spain,
were commanded by Marshal Count Guido de Starem-
berg, an officer who had commanded the imperial troops
in Hungary.
After quitting their quarters the Sixrn were en-
camped on the river Francoli, between Monblanco and
Tarragona, to defend a defile leading to the plain near
the town: they brought about eight hundred officers
and men into the field, and their weather-beaten, hardy,
and warlike appearance excited admiration. In a letter
from the army, dated 23rd of April, 1708, and published
at the time, it was stated :—‘ We cannot yet give any
** certain account of the number of our forces but those
“ we have are the finest in the world: such are the re-
* giments of SourHwELu (Sixt) commanded by Lieut.-
‘Colonel Hunt ; that of Blood (seventeenth), com-
‘‘manded by Lieut.-Colonel Bourguet; and that of
“ Mordaunt (twenty-eighth), commanded by Colonel
“ Dalziel *.”
The regiment was subsequently stationed with the
army at Constantino, from whence it proceeded to Cer-
vera; and while in the field, its colonel, WILLIAM
SouTHWELL, was succeeded by Colonel Tuomas Har-
R1son, who was performing the duty of adjutant-general
to the British troops in Catalonia.
Tortosa and Denia were besieged and taken by the
enemy ; the allies captured the fertile island of Sardinia
* State of Europe, for June, 1708,
48 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1708 in the Mediterranean; and the Sixrn were withdrawn
from the army in Catalonia to engage in an expedition,
under Major-General Stanhope, against Minorca, the
second of the Balearic islands, situate in the Mediter-
ranean, near the cvast of Spain. This island had fallen
successively under the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals,
Moors, Arragonese, and Castilians; and the object of
the expedition was to rescue it from King Philip, and
place it under the dominion of King Charles.
The regiment marched from the camp to Barcelona,
where it embarked on board the fleet. The land forces
consisted of the SixTu, and a few dismounted English
dragoons, making 750 private men; 760 English ma-
vines, 750 Portuguese, 700 Neapolitans, 300 Spaniards,
ud a train of English artillery, commanded by Major-
General Stanhope and Brigadier-General Wade.
A landing was effected on the island in the middle of
September : Cuidadella, the capital, and fort Fornellia,
were captured with little opposition, and the inhabitants
declared in favour of King Charles; but a thousand
French and Spaniards garrisoned Port Mahon, situ-
ated on a rocky promontory, very difficult of access on
the land side, and defended by Fort St. Philip, erected
at the entrance of the harbour, which has been stated to
be one of the finest in the world. After dragging the
artillery along rocky and difficult roads, the siege of
Fort St. Philip was commenced ; the artillery destroyed
two small towers, and made a practicable breach in the
outer wall, which was built a quarter of a mile from Fort
St. Philip, and, extending from sea to sea, covered the
approach to the citadel. Major-General Stanhope in-
tended that the breach should be stormed on the follow-
ing day; but the grenadiers of the Sixt, and another
corps, being on duty near the spot, rushed forward with
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 49
such ardour and intrepidity, that the garrison was ter- 1708
rified and dismayed, Ascending the breach sword in
hand, they overpowered all opposition, captured a re-
doubt, and, being supported by a detachment under
Brigadier-General Wade, effected a lodgment at the foot
of the glacis. A battery was constructed immediately,
and the garrison was so confused and alarmed at the fury
and resolution of their assailants, that they capitulated
on the following day (29th of September) ; but when,
on marching out, they saw the small body of men to
whom they had surrendered, they were ashamed of hav-
ing given up so strong a fortress. Thus this valuable
island was captured with the loss of about forty men ;
and the Sixru foot and other troops were honoured with
the thanks and approbation of King Charles, and of her
Majesty Queen Anne.
Minorca was garrisoned by English troops, and the
SixTH was one of the corps selected to take charge of
this important conquest.
In the following year Lieut.-General Stanhope having
formed a design against Cadiz, embarked two regiments
of fuot from Minorca, and sailed for Gibraltar, where
he expected to be joined by eight battalions of foot and
a regiment of dragoons from England; but these troops
were so long delayed by contrary winds, that the enter-
prise was abandoned. The Sixru proceeded to Bar-
celona, where they landed, and reposed in quarters in
Catalonia until the following spring.
When the army took the field in the summer of 1710,
the Srxru proceeded to the camp at Balaguer, where
they were reviewed by King Charles on the 10th of June.
The two claimants to the throne of Spain headed their
respective armies, and King Philip had the advantage
in point of numbers; but after recoiinoitring his adver-
E
&
50 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1710 saries’ fortified camp at Balaguer he retired. King
Charles moved forward, and on the 27th of July a ca-
valry action was fought on the grounds near A/manara,
when upwards of forty squadrons of the enemy’s best
cavalry, and a brigade of infantry, were overthrown with
great slaughter. Harvey’s horse (now second dragoon
guards), the royal dragoons, and several other corps,
gained great honour. The Sixtu foot hastened to the
scene of conflict; but the enemy was routed before the
infantry had an opportunity to deploy their ranks.
Several corps, however, joined in the pursuit, and made
great slaughter.
This victory gave the allies an ascendancy over their
opponents. King Philip called in his detachments and
retired, and was followed by the forces under King
Charles. In this advance the troops underwent great
fatigue and privation with patient resolution and perse-
verance which redounded to their honour. At the town
of Candasmas the soldiers suffered from the scarcity of
water and wine. “ We were glad to march out of this
“‘ place” (observes an officer who was present) “on the
“next morning ; but found ourselves in as great distress
‘from the want of water as the day before, till we came
“to Bacarolos, where we encamped, the enemy still re-
“ tiring before us. At break of day our army maiched
“on in four columns, in expectation of overtaking the
“enemy, but we were disappointed, and had to encoun-
“ ter, on our march to Usera on the Ebro, violent thirst
“and heat, without a drop of water ; and to incommode
‘us more, the enemy had set fire to a very long heath
“ we had to pass over. It cannot be conceived what we
‘ suffered upon such a march, smothered all the day
“ with clouds of ashes, especially the foot *.’ At night
* Journal of the War in Spain, by a Chaplain of the army.
51
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,
‘ing the men reached the banks of the Ebro, and quenched 1710
Ca- their thirst at the stream. Continuing the march, on
ara, the 19th of August they discovered the united French
best and Spanish forces in order of battle in front of the city
with | of Saragossa, and preparations were made to attack the
oon enemy on the following day. Several men, who were so
rps, pressed with hunger and thirst as to venture to gather
the grapes in a vineyard situated between the two armies,
the were shot by the enemy’s out-posts.
nks. The enemy’s lines extended from the banks of the
ade Ebro to the brow of a steep hill on their right; and the
Srixta, being formed in Major-General Wade’s brigade,
heir were destined to attack the enemy’s right.
and The sun had scarcely risen on the morning of the
cing memorable 20th of August, 1710, when the guns of both
reat armies opened a tremendous fire, and the deep tones of
“Tse - the artillery reverberated in the mountains and valleys.
own The allied army stood prepared for action, and King
y of Charles rode along the ranks to stimulate the officers and
this men to deeds of heroism. The Sixta and other war-
the worn veterans in Wade’s brigade excited his Majesty’s
Tess attention: fatigue and privation had not quenched the
ame native valour which glowed in their breasts and beamed
I re- in their sun-burnt countenances, and the King compli-
hed mented the brigade as he passed. About mid-day,
the Lieut.-General Stanhope, whose conduct on this occasion
un- excited applause *, led forward a brigade of cavalry, and
uirst commenced the action by a gallant charge on the squad-
hode 7 rons on the enemy’s right; but the opposing horsemen
path having a great superiority of numbers, gained some ad-
we 2 vantage. Six squadrons of Portuguese dragoons in
day : ee Sa ee es Be eties
ght
* See Licut.~General Carpenter’s letter, published in the Daily
Courant of the 16th of September, 1710.
E 7)
52 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1710 English pay, and clothed in scarlet uniforms, fled ‘om
the field; the French and Spanish troopers pursued with
eagerness, and imagining they had routed the British
cavalry, they concluded that victory was certain; but
the British, Dutch, and Palatine foot, opposed to the
enemy's right wing, were brought forward, and they
soon gave a decisive turn to the fortune of the day:
Advancing steadily sp the rising ground, the Sixtu,
and three other battalions under Major-General Wade,
gained the crest of the enemy’s position, and while the
dragoons fought with deadly fury in the vale below,
the four regiments raised a British shout, and rushing
upon a brigade of the enemy’s foot, broke its ranks with
a fearful crash. A few battalions made a resolute resist-
ance, but were overpowered and nearly annihilated.
While the Sixtu were fighting on the high grounds on
the left, the battle became general along the line; and
eventually, King Charles gained a most decisive victory.
The wreck of the opposing army fled from the field,
leaving twenty-two piec?s of cannon, a number of stand-
ards and colours, all their baggage, and King Philip’s
equipage and plate in possession of the victorious allied
army. ‘The behaviour of the British troops was ap-
plauded : they exhibited thirty standards and colours
which they had captured from the enemy, as trophies of
their valour; and were thanked by King Charles for
the eminent service they had rendered to his cause.
Colonel Tuomas Harrison of the Sixtn was sent to
England with the news of this victory to Queen Anne*.
* Tradition has connected the badge of the ANTELOPE, borne
on the colours of the regiment, with its services in Spain; and
as the Srxtu captured several colours at Saragossa, which
colours were taken to England by their Colone), Taomas Har-
from
with
ritish
- but
» the
they
day:
XTH,
lade,
e the
elow,
shing
with
esist-
ated.
Js on
and
tory.
field,
tand-
ilip’s
allied
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 53
King Philip fled in consternation and dismay, and 1710
the allied army advanced in triumph to the capital. A
crisis had arrived, and the destiny of Spain appeared to
depend on the speedy advance to Madrid of a body of
British and Portuguese troops which were manceuvring
on the frontiers of Portugal; but the Portuguese ge-
nerals disappointed the hopes of the allies, and sent their
troops into quarters. Meanwhile King Charles occupied
Madrid with a small army; the enemy called to his aid
additional troops ; new armies and new generals appeared
in Spain, and the forces of King Philip were soon so
superior in numbers to the allies, that the latter were
forced to retire from the capital towards Catalonia. King
Charles consulted his own safety and proceeded to Bar-
celona, accompanied by a detachment of the royal dra-
goons. The army was pressed by the enemy in its
retiring movements; the country people withheld sup-
plies of provisions and forage, and availed themselves of
every opportunity to attack small parties and to plunder
the baggage. ‘Thus harassed on every side—worn out
with the fatigues of a long campaign—in a country hos-
tile to their cause—exposed to inclement weather, and
without tents—the condition of the soldiers may be more
easily conceived than expressed. On the 6th of Decem-
ber, the Sixru and several other corps, forming the rear
column on the left, under Lieut.-General Stanhope,
arrived at the village of Brihuega, consisting of about
a thousand houses, and situate on the side of a hill near
RISON, and presented to Queen Anne, it is not improbable but
that an ANTELOPE was on one of the captured colours, and that
Colonel Harrison obtained her Majesty’s permission for his
regiment to bear the badge of an ANTELOPE in commemoration
of the event. No documentary evidence has, however, beei: met
with to substantiate the tradition.
54 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1710 the river. Here the troops halted on the following day,
and at the moment when the officers and men were ex-
pecting orders to march, the village was surrounded by
the French and Spanish forces under the Duke of Ven-
dosme. The English, finding their retreat thus cut off,
prepared for a vigorons deience ; but unfortunately they
had no artillery, a little ammunition, and the
ruinous old wall v.: urrounded the village was but a
feeble bulwark to op,,use to a powerful train of artillery.
The enemy forced one of the gates with their cannon,
made a practicable breach in the wall, and attacked the
place by storm. But British courage did not quail
before the host of foes by which the village was sur-
rounded; and the enemy was driven back with great
slaughter. A second attack was made: eight hundred
French infantry gained access to the village, and a sharp
conflizt was maintained in the houses and streets; and
when the English had expended all their ammunition,
they hurled bricks, stones, and other missiles from the
tops of the houses upon their opponents. But being
pent up in a small village by a numerous army, and
without ammunition, they were forced to surrender
prisoners of war. Such was the fate of two thousand
brave men, whose achievements are immortalized in
history ; and the veterans of the Sixru, who had so
often signalized themselves, were consigned to surveil-
lance and to prison: but their honour was preserved
untarnished.
1711 — Lieut.-Colonel John Ramsay and about three hundred
officers and men of the regiment were thus made prison-
ers at the little walled town of Brihuega, in the moun-
tains of Castile; but the officers and men on command
and on detachment in the towns through which the army
advanced escaped this disaster. The enemy used every
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 55
means to induce the English, German, and Palatine 1711
soldiers, taken prisoners, to enlist into their service, and
withheld provision from such as refused: this, however,
proved advantageous to the allies; the soldiers availed
themselves of every opportunity to desert the enemy’s
service, and returned in parties of thirty and forty to
their own army.* Recruits also arrived from England ;
the officers and men who remained in captivity were ex-
changed, and several of the corps were re-organized ; but
the Stxrn do not appear to have been engaged in any
important service in the years 1711 and 1712. On the 1712
decease of the Emperor of Germany, King Charles was
elevated to the imperial throne ; one of the competitors
for the crown of Spain was thus removed ; a cessation of
hostilities took place between the English and French in
the campaign of 1712, which was followed by a treaty 1713
of peace, called the peace of Utrecht; and the Sixrm 1414
proceeded to Ireland.
After the decease of Queen Anne, and the accession of 1415
King George I., several alterations were made in the
army, and Colonel Harrison was succeeded in the com-
mand of the Sixtn by Colonel Rosert Dormer, from 1716
the lieut.-colonelcy of the first troop (now first regiment)
of life-guards, by commission dated the 7th of March,
1716.
During the rebellion of the Earl of Mar, and the alarm
occasioned by the proceedings of the courts of Spain and 1714
Sweden in favour of the Pretender, the Sixt remained 141g
in Ireland ; but when the rash and unjust proceedings of
the Spanish minister, Cardinal Alberoni, involved Great
Britain and France in a war with Spain, the regiment
* The Complete History of Europe, vol. 22, pages 111 and
152.
56 HISTORICAL RECORD OF i
1719 was selected to form part of an expedition against the
coast of Spain. The capture of Sardinia and the inva-
sion of Sicily by the Spaniards was followed by a naval
war in the Mediterranean; and the British government
projected the capture of Corunna in Biscay, and of Peru
in South America. The attack on Corunna was first
determined on; and the Stxrn formed part of a iund-
force of four thousand men, placed under the orders of
General Viscount Cobham for this service. The troops
embarked in the beginning of September, 1719; but, on
arriving off the coast of Gallicia, circumstances occurred
which occasioned the attack on Corunna to be laid aside,
and an attempt on Vigo determined on. The fleet en-
tered the harbour of Vigo on the 29th of September, and
seized on seven ships, three of which were fitt)ag up as
privateers; on the following day the grenadie’s landed
on the south side of the river, three miles above the town ;
a sharp fire of musketry was opened upon them from the
mountains, but at too great a distance to produce effect,
and the battalion companies having gained the shore, the
troops passed the night under arms. On the Ist of Octo-
ber the army approached the town, and encamped with
its left to the sea near the village of Boas, and its right
extending towards the mountains; abundance of wine
being found in the houses, which were left without inha-
bitants, the soldiers drank freely, and it was found neces-
sary to enforce strict discipline to prevent irregularities.
The town of Vigo, and fort St. Sebastian, were aban-
doned by the enemy and taken possession of by Briga-
dier-General Honeywood, with eight hundred men. A
thousand Spaniards retired to the citadel, and held out ;
but after a heavy battery had opened its fire, and the
garrison had lost nearly three hundred men, the lieut.-go-
vernor surrendered. ‘Two thousand barrels of powder,
aes
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 57
eight thousand muskets, and fifteen fine brass guns, 1719
which had been prepared for the invasion of Britain in
favour of the Pretender, were found in the castle: the
treops in garrison were also part of the force which had |
been selected to serve in the expedition under the Duke
of Ormond. While the siege of the castle of Vigo was
in progress, five hundred men were detached against
Rondondella, and they captured and burnt the town.
A thousand men embarked under Major-Gencral
Wade, on the 12th of October, and, proceeding to the
upper end of Vigo bay, landed and marched thirty miles i
to Pont-a-Vedra ; thirteen companies of Spaniards in
garrison fled in a panic; the country was thrown into
confusion, and the principal inhabitants hurried from their H
homes. The town of Pont-a-Vedra, the arsenal, barracks
for two thousand men, thirteen pieces of brass, and eighty-
six of iron ordnance, five thousand small arms, three I
hundred barrels of powder, and abundance of other stores,
were captured. ‘The arseiial. barracks, and Fort Marine, |
four miles from Pont-a-Vedra, with the iron ordnance, i
were destroyed ; the mere valuable stores were removed
on board the transports, and the detachment returned to i t |
Vigo. '
The king of Spain, being oppressed on every side, his
socrees exhausted, and his projects defeated, dismissed
his turbulent minister and made pacific overtures. A
treaty of peace was concluded before the projected expe-
dition against Peru was undertaken, and the Sixrn were
again stationed in Ireland.
On the 9th of April, 1720, Colone) Robert Dormer 1499
was succeeded in the command of the regiment by his
brother, Colonel Jamres Dormer, from the fourteenth
dragoons, who was promoted in February, 1738, to the 1738
first troop of horse grenadier guards: the coloneley ap-
58 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1738 pears to have remained vac! until November following,
when it was conferred on Lieut.-Colonel Joun Guise.
1739 The regiment was withdrawn from Ireland in the
autumn of 1739, and, after its arrival in England, ano-
ther war })»:ween Great Britain and Spain having become
1740 inevitable, its establishment was augmented, and it was
ordered to hold itself in readiness to proceed on foreign
service.
A formidable armament was prepared for the attack of
the Spanish colonies in the West Indies, and the land
forces were placed under the orders of General Lord
Cathcart, a novleman of approved courage and expe-
rience in war. The troops having embarked in October,
1740, sailed under the convoy of a naval force commanded
by Sir Chaloner Ogle; and the colonel of the Srxru,
Joun Guys, was appointed to serve as brigadier-general
in the expedition. This regiment did not form part of
the first embarkation, but it was subsequently ordered to
proceed to the West Indies to reinforce the troops em-
ployed in this enterprise.
A tempest dispersed the fleet, consisting of about one
hundred and seventy sail, in the bay of Biscay ; but the
greater part of the vessels were re-collected and proceeded
on the voyage. Arriving at the neutral island of Domi-
nica, to provide wood and water, the troops sustained the
loss of their gallant leader, Lord Cathcart, who died of
dysentery; and the command devolved on Brigadier-
General 'Thomas Wentworth.
1741 On arriving at Jamaica in January, 1741, the expedi-
tion was joined by Vice-Admiral Vernon ; but the season
of the year for active service in the West Indies was fast
passing away, and several circumstances concurred to
create further delay. At length an attempt on Cartha-
gena, the capital of an extensive and wealthy province in
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 59
wing, the country of Terra Firma in South America, was re- 1741
SE. solved upon ; and, although this place was found strongly
1 the fortified, and the garrison reinforced by the crews of a
ano- squadron of large ships, commanded by Don Blas de
come Leso; yet, the fleet having silenced several small forts,
L was eight regiments landed on the 10th of March, on the
reign island of Tierra Bomba, near the mouth of the harbour,
ommenced the siege of the principal fort. .” castle,
ck of Bocca-chica. On the evening of thy 20: of
land
‘he grenadiers mounted the breach «3 sivvri the
Lord hen the Spanish garrison fled, and the place
ape ired without loss.
ober, ‘Two channels having been made through the sunk
nded vessels with which the Spaniards had blocked up the
XTH, entrance of the harbour, the troops and artillery were re-
neral embarked, and commenced landing, on the 5th of April,
rt of near the city, The country round Carthagena was found
d to covered with trees and herbage of the most luxuriant
em- growth, and the interwoven branches formed a shelter
impenetrable both to heat and light ; as the troops, led
one by Brigadier-General Blakeney, advanced along a nar-
the row defile, several men were wounded by shots from the
Pded tracts and openings into the wood; and, on diverging
pini- from the defile, six hundred Spaniards were seen advan-
the tageously posted to dispute the passage: but they were
l of speedily driven from their ground, and the British bi-
ier- vouacked within a mile of the castle of St. Lazar, which
commanded the town. The men passed three nights in
di- the open air, for want of tents and tools, which could not
son be landed sooner, and the health of the soldiers was
ast | in consequence seriously injured.
to As the men were fast diminishing in numbers from
1a- . hard duty and the effects of climate, Brigadier- General
Wentworth resolved to attack St. Lazar by escalade ;
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60 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1741 to which dangerous experiment he was urged by Vice-
Admiral Vernon, who accused him of want of resolution.
Twelve hundred men, commanded by Brigadier-General
Guise, stormed the enemy’s intrenchments under the walls
of the fort, and though assailed by a heavy fire of mus-
ketry, the grenadiers, led by Colonel Grant, rushed for-
ward with astonishing bravery, and leaping into the lines
among the thickest of their adversaries, carried the works
in gallant style. The Spaniards fled over a drawbridge
into the fort; the British pursued under a heavy fire,
and called for the ladders to storm the works; but so
hot was the fire, that the Americans who carried the lad-
ders threw them down and fled back to the camp. Mean-
while the soldiers were exposed to a most destructive fire,
and were unable to cover themselves: at length three Jad-
ders were brought forward, and a serjeant and ten gre-
nadiers mounted the walls, but were instantly cut to
pieces, excepting the serjeant, who saved himself by leap-
ing down again. Several of the ladders were found too
short ; it was ascertained that, owing to a guide having
been killed, the attack was made on the strongest part of
the works; Colonel Grant fell mortally wounded ; and
after sustaining a most destructive fire for several hours
with intrepidity and perseverance, the troops were or-
dered to retreat, having lost six hundred men in killed
and wounded.
This repulse was followed by the violent periodical
rains, the country was deluged with water, and the change
of atmosphere (which is always attended with epidemical
distempers and the climate becomes extremely unhealthy)
produced the most fatal effects. The soldiers were so
drenched with rain, and their health so seriously ini-
paired, that they re-embarked, and all hope of further
success immediately vanished. The admiral was blamed
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 61
Vice- for not stationing four or five of his large ships within 174)
ution. pistol-shot of the town, when the troops advanced to at-
eneral tack fort St. Lazar; and if this had been done (Smollett
walls observes), “ in all probability the town would have sur-
ical rendered.”
| for- After re-embarking, the distempers peculiar to the
lines climate produced great havoc among the soldiers. Smol-
works lett states,—‘ Nothing was heard but complaints and
ridge “ execrations: the groans of the dying, and the service
y fire, “for the dead; nothing was seen but objects of woe and
ut so “ images of dejection.” Such are the sufferings often en-
> lad- dured by the British soldier in the various countries to
Mean- which he is called upon to proceed, and are generally
¢ fire, borne with exemplary fortitude.
> lad- The forts and castles of the harbour of Carthagena
gre- having been demolished, the fleet sailed to Jamaica; and
ut to subsequently to the south-east part of the island of Cuba,
leap- where the soldiers landed, and acamp was formed twenty
1 too miles up one of the large rivers of this island. At this
ving camp the SixrTH were stationed some time, and it was in
rt of contemplation to form a British settlement on this part
and of Cuba; the country was reconnoitred, detachments
jours were sent out, and the Spanish villages were found de- |
ore serted. For a short time a plentiful supply of fresh
illed provisions was procured; but the men were afterwards
rationed with salt and damaged meat and biscuit, and
dical their numbers were so reduced by sickness, that in No-
auge vember they were put on board again, and re-conveyed
nical to Jamaica.
thy) The Sixtu, having suffered severely from the effects 174%
ep 60 of climate, returned to England in December, 1742,
ins- and commenced recruiting their numbers. They sub-
ther sequently proceeded to Scotland, where they were sta-
med tioned in the summer of 1745, when Charles-Edward, 1745
62 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1745 eldest son of the Pretender, raised his standard in the
Highlands, and asserted his father’s pretensions to the
throne.
The head-quarters of the SrxtH were at Aberdeen ;
two companies were at Inverness, which has been termed
the capital of the Highlands, being the only town of im-
portance north of Aberdeen; three companies were at
Fort Augustus, situated on a plain at the head of Loch
Ness, between the rivers Tarff and Oich, and built at the
spot where they discharge themselves into the lake;
strong party, commanded by Captain Millar, occupied
Fort William, which was built in the reign of King Wil-
liam ITI., in a plain on a navigable arm of the sea, called
Loch Kil, near the influx of the Lochy and Nevis, in the
county of Inverness; a serjeant’s party occupied a re-
doubt at Ruthven; and a working party was employed
on the newly-constructed roads in the Highlands. While
in these quarters information was received of the arrival
of the Pretender’s eldest son with a few Scottish and
Irish adventurers on the coast of Lochabar, and of their
being joined by a number of Highlanders, under their
respective chiefs. The news of this bold and hazardous
undertaking was at first disbelieved, but Captain Swert-
MAN of the regiment, walking out from Fort Augustus
to gain information, entered an inn in the Highlands,
where he was surrounded by eight rebels and conveyed a
prisoner to the young Pretender’s camp. There he was
civilly treated, and suffered to go away on his parole ;
one of the Pretender’s manifestos was given him, with a
passport directed to all sheriffs, sheriff-deputies, and con-
stables in Scotland, and signed Charles Pr. Custos Reg.
After his release Captain Sweetman proceeded by post to
London, where he was examined by the Privy Council,
and the tidings of the rebellion were no longer doubted.
1 the
> the
leen ;
rmed
f im-
re at
Loch
t the
e353
ipied
Wil-
alled
n the
a re-
loyed
Vhile
‘rival
and
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their
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EET-
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ands,
eda
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ole ;
tha
con-
eg.
st to
ncil,
ted.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 63
The working parties of the Sixt and other corps were 1745
then ordered to rejoin their regiments.
The young adventurer having assembled about fifteen
hundred men, encamped in the neighbourhood of Fort
William : two newly-raised companies, of the regiments
of St. Clair and Murray, proceeding to Fort William,
were attacked by a body of mountaineers, and after a re-
solute resistance, the soldiers, having expended all their
ammunition, were forced to surrender. Lieutenant-
General Sir John Cope, the commander-in-chief in Scot-
land, assembled the disposable force under his orders at
Stirling, and advanced towards the road leading through
the Highlands to Inverlochy, taking with him a thousand
arms, in the expectation of being joined at Crieff by a
body of well-affected Highlanders. A detachment of the
SixtH accompanied Sir John Cope in this advance
through a wild country, where the soldiers were obliged
to take their provision with them, and being disappointed
of the Highlanders, the spare arms were sent back for
want of carriage. On arriving at Dalwhinnie,—the place
where the Fort Augustus and Inverness roads meet, in-
formation was received that the rebels were in force in a
position in the winding of the road up the mountain, of
such difficult approach and natural strength, that it was
thought impossible to force it, and the soldiers, having
only two days’ provision with them, retired by Ruthven
to Inverness.
A veteran serjeant of the regiment, named Mo toy,
and twelve men were left in charge of the little fort at
Ruthven, which they defended against the rebel host
with such distinguished bravery, that the following letter
from this brave man to Sir John Cope deserves a place
in this memoir,
1745
64 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
“ Ruthven Redoubt, 30th August, 1745.
“ Hon, GENERAL,
“THis goes to acquaint you, that yesterday there
“appeared in the little town of Ruthven about three
“ hundred of the enemy, and sent proposals to me to sur-
‘ render this redoubt upon condition that I should have
“ liberty to carry off bag and baggage. My answer was,
“Twas too old a soldier to surrender a garrison of
“ guch strength without bloody noses. They threatened
“ hanging me and my men for refusal. I told them |
“would take my chance. This morning they attacked
“me about twelve o'clock (by my information) with
“about a hundred and fifty men: they attacked fore-
“ gate and sally-port ; and attempted to set sally-port on
“ fire with some old barrels and other combustibles, which
“ took place immediately, but the attempter lost his life
“by it. They drew off about half an hour after three.
“ About two hours after they sent word to me that two
“of their chiefs wanted to talk to me; I admitted and
“spoke to them from the parapet: they offered condi-
“tions; I refused; they desired liberty to carry off
“ their dead men; I granted. There are two men since
“ dead of their wounds in the town, and three more they
“took with them, as I am informed. They went off
“westward about eight o'clock this morning; they did
“the like march yesterday in the afternoon, but came
“back at night-fall. They took all the provisions the
“ poor inhabitants had in the town, and Mrs. M‘Pher-
“gon, the barrack-wife, and a merchant of the town, who
“ spoke to me this moment, and who advised me to write
“to your honour, and told me there were above three
“ thousand men, all lodged in the corn-fields west of the
“ town, last night, and their grand camp is at Dalwhin-
“nie. They have Cluny M‘Pherson with them prisoner,
4
1D.
there
three
sur-
have
was,
m of
ened
m |
cked
with
fore-
rt on
hich
s life
hree,
/ two
and
ndi-
off
since
they
off
did
‘ame
b the
her-
who
write
hree
the
hin-
ner,
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
65
‘shot through the head bv foolishly holding his head
“too high over the parapet. I expect another visit
“ this night, I am informed, with their pateraroes ; but
“I shall give them the warmest reception my weak party
“can afford. I shall hold out as long as possible. I
“‘ conclude, honourable general, with great respect,
“Your most humble servant,
« J. Mottoy, Serst. 61H. *”
From Inverness Lieut.-General Sir John Cope marched
to Aberdeen, where he embarked the troops in trans-
ports, in order to proceed by sea to Leith, to oppose the
progress of the rebels southwards ; and two companies of
the SixtH, commanded by Captains Pointz and Holwell,
were employed in this service. Arriving at Dunbar, on
the 16th of September, they landed on the south side of
the Firth, and, to their great mortification and disap-
pointment, learnt that the rebel highlanders and their
adventurous chief had gained possession of Edinburgh,
towards which city Sir John Cope commenced his march
on the 19th of September.
Information having been received of the approach of a
rebel force of very superior numbers, the King’s troops
took up a position a short distance to the east of the vil-
lage of Preston-pans, near the sea, and seven miles from
Edinburgh. Several changes of ground were made as
the rebels menaced various parts of the line; but the
attack was delayed, and the soldiers passed the night
under arms: the two companies of the Sixtu, and eight
companies of Lascelles’ (forty-seventh) regiment, formed
* Martial Recorder.
“as I have it by the same information. I lost one man, 1745
66 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1745 one battalion, and were posted in the right centre of the
front line *.
About three o'clock on the morning of the 21st of
September, large bodies of rebel Highlanders were seen
in motion, and before day-break a chosen band of these
hardy mountaineers was discovered through the thick
atmosphere, moving like a dusky phantom swiftly along
the undulating grounds to attack the right. As they
drew near they raised a dismal yell, fired a volley, threw
down their muskets, and rushed sword in hand upon the
troops which guarded the artillery. The sudden advance
of the Highlanders in the dark, their superior numbers,
and peculiar mode of fighting, struck with dismay the two
hundred soldiers appointed to guard the artillery on the
right, who saw themselves assaulted by more than three
\ times their own numbers, and as they caught the gleam of
steel flashing in their faces, they gave way and fled. The
two hundred and fifty dragoons on the right, seeing the
artillery lost, became disheartened ; they advanced to
charge a large mass of Highlanders ; but observing the dis-
parity of numbers, they were seized with a panic and gal-
loped out of the field. Their conduct damped the courage
of the infantry, and the panic spread from rank to rank ;
but several companies made resistance, and feats of valour
were nobly displayed by individuals and small parties :
* The following return of the strength of tiie King’s forces at
Preston-pans was published in Douglas’ History of the Rebellion :
Gardiner’s (13th) and Hamilton’s (14th) dragoons . 567
2 Companies of Guise’s (6th) and 8 aera 7th) foot 570
5 Companies of Lee's (44th) . ° , - 291
Murray’s (46th) regiment ‘ ‘ : : . 580
Highlanders. : ; ‘ ° ° : . 183
Total 2191
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 67
all semblunce of order was, however, soon lost, and a 1745
confused rout ensued. The two companies * of the SixtH
were among the troops who resisted the Highlanders ;
Captain Hollwell was killed; Captain Pointz was sur-
rounded, dangerously wounded, and taken prisoner ;
Lieutenants Cumming and Paton, and Ensigns Wake-
man and Irwine, were also made prisoners; and the two
companies had nearly every man either killed, wounded,
or taken prisoner: such were the disastrous results of
this battle, that of the King’s forces, not more than one-
half escaped from the field. The prisoners were re-
moved to Edinburgh, and afterwards to the Highlands.
With the advance of the rebels into Derbyshire, their
precipitate retreat back to Scotland, and the battle of
Falkirk, the services of the SixtH are not immediately
connected ; but in the early part of 1746, after the Duke 1746
of Cumberland had forced the young Pretender to raise
the siege of Stirling castle, and to retreat to the High-
lands, the three companies of the regiment stationed in
Fort Augustus were besieged by the rebel army. As
the young Pretender had obtained a train of artillery,
and the services of a few French officers and engineers,
the reduction of the fort was not a difficult operation, .
and the three companies were made prisoners : the works
were afterwards blown up and abandoned by the enemy.
A lieutenant and about fifty men of the regiment had,
in the mean time, assembled at Edinburgh: some of these
men had escaped from captivity, others were the remains
of the two companies which had fought at Preston-pans,
and they were directed to proceed, by forced marches, to
Inverlochy, and throw themselves into Fort William :
a
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* In the account of this battle, published by the rebels, it is
stated that four companies of the regiment were present.
F2
68 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1746 a drummer and three men of the regiment, who were
made prisoners at Fort Augustus, also escaped from cus-
tody and took refuge in Fort William. In March, 1746,
the enemy besieged the fort, and the garrison made a
most resolute defence. By a well-directed fire from the
works, by sallies and other devices, with the co-operation
of a small naval force, the enemy was forced to raise the
siege and retire. This success was followed by the over-
throw of the rebel army at Culloden, which extinguished
the hopes of the Pretender, and the insurrection was thus
finally suppressed. The officers and men of the Srxrn
1747 were liberated from captivity, the companies in garrison
were relieved, and the regiment proceeded to England to
recruit its numbers, where it remained for six years.
175] Inthe warrant of King George II., bearing date the
Ist of July, 1751, for regulating the uniform, colours,
and distinctions of regiments, the facing of the Sixtu
was directed to be of DEFP yYELLow. “ The first colour
“to be the great Union; and the second to be of deep
‘yellow, with the union in the upper canton; in the
“centre of the colours the ANTELOPE, being the ancient
“ badge of the regiment, and in the three corners of the
“6 second colour the rose and crown. The front of the
‘« grenadier caps to be of deep yellow, with the antelope,
‘as in the colours; the little flap to be red, with the
“white horse, and motto, Nec aspera terrent, over it ;
“the back part of the cap to be red, and the turn-up
“deep yellow. The same badge ol’ the antelope to be
‘¢ painted on the drums and bells of arms, with the rank
« of the regiment underneath.”
1753 The Sixtu were employed on home duty until the
winter of 1753, when they embarked for Gibraltar to
relieve the thirty-second regiment ; and they were em-
ployed on garrison-duty at that important fortress dur-
) were
n cus-
1746,
1ade a
m the
ration
ise the
over-
uished
s thus
SIXTH
irrison
and to
3.
ate the
slours,
SixTu
colour
deep
in the
ncient
of the
of the
elope,
th the
er it;
rn-up
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P rank
il the
ar to
e em-
s dur-
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 69
ing the whole of the Seven years’ war. Hostilities 1755
commenced in America in 1755, and in 1756 a French 1756
armament, commanded by Marshal Duke of Richelieu,
invaded the island of Minorca, in the capture of which
the Sixta took so distinguished a part in 1708; and a
detachment of the regiment was held in readiness to
proceed to Port Mahon to reinforce the garrison. This
service was, however, delayed ; and Lieut.-General
Fowke, who commanded the forces at Gibraltar, was
dismissed the service for neglecting to strengthen the
troops in Minorca by a battalion from his garrison.
After the peace of Fontainebleau the S1xtu were re- 17638
lieved from duty at Gibraltar, and returned to England,
where they arrived in the summer of 1763. T'wo years
afterwards they proceeded to Scotland.
On the 14th of June, 1765, the colonelcy was con- 1765
ferred by King George III. on Major-General William
Rufane, from the half-pay of the seventy-sixth foot (a
corps raised in 1756, and disbanded after the peace in
1763), in succession to General Guise, deceased.
The regiment left Scotland in 1769, and was stationed 1769
in England during the three succeeding years: in Octo-
ber, 1772, it embarked for the West Indies, to assist in 1772
reducing to submission to the British government the
refractory Charibbees in St. Vincent. This island was
ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of 1763, and was
found to contain two tribes of natives, called the red and
black Charibbees ; the former being the aborigines, and
the latter having sprung from a cargo of African slaves
who escaped from a vessel wiich was wrecked on the
island. The Charibbees were found devoted to the
French interest, and were dangerous and troublesome
neighbours to the English planters. A resolution was
taken to restrain their ambulations to a smaller range in
70 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1772 the island, and to enforce obedience to several necessary
regulations ; and if this was found impracticable, to
remove them to some other island, or to the continent
of Africa. The Charibbees were, however, of a reso-
lute spirit: they possessed many thickly-wooded fast-
nesses, and they resisted the attempt to restrict the
indulgence of their roving propensities and mode of life
so powerfully, that it was found necessary to augment
the military force on the island.
1773 Soon after arriving at St. Vincent the Sixt lost
their colonel, Lieut.-General Ruranr, who died on the
14th of February, 1773, and was succeeded by Lieut.-
General Jonn Gore from the sixty-first regiment: this
officer died in November following, when his Majesty
conferred the colonelcy of the Sixtn on Lieut.-General
Sir Witttam Boortusy, Baronet, from the fiftieth foot.
The regiment was employed in operations against the
Charibbees of St. Vincent ; several skirmishes occurred
among the thickly-wooded parts of the country, and a
few men were killed and wounded in the bush-fighting
which took place daily. At length the natives were
reduced to submission, and an agreement was concluded
1774 with their chiefs in February, 1774, by which further
hostilities were prevented.
Having reduced the two refractory tribes to submis-
sion, the Sixtu and forty-eighth regiments were sta-
tioned at the Charibbee islands until after the breaking
out of the war of independence in North America.
1775 Hostilities commenced in 1775, when the establish-
ment of the Sixt was augmented from ten companies
of thirty-eight private men each, to twelve companies of
1776 fifty-six private men each. In the following year they
were withdrawn from the West Indies, and joined the
army commanded by Lieut.-General Sir William Howe
pessary
ble, to
atinent
| reso-
| fast-
ct the
of life
gment
H lost
on the
sieut.-
t: this
lajesty
eneral
foot.
ist the
surred
and a
ghting
were
luded
rther
bmis-
P sta-
aking
blish-
panies
es of
they
1 the
owe
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 71
at New York. The health of the soldiers had, however, 1776
been impaired by their residence in a tropical climate,
and after transferring a few men to other corps, they
returned to England, where they arrived in March,
1777. 1777
During the summer of 1778, the regiment was en- 1778
camped, with the twenty-fifth, sixty-ninth, seventy-ninth,
and tén militia corps, at Warley, under the orders of
Lieut.-General Pierson. In the following year the re- 1779
giment was encamped at Coxheath, with the fourteenth,
fiftieth, sixty-fifth, sixty-ninth, and sixteen corps of
militia; and in 1780 it was encamped at Rye, under 1780
Major-General Sloper.
In 1782 county titles were given to regiments, in order 1782
to facilitate the procuring of recruits; and the Sixta
were designated the First WARWICKSHIRE regiment :
at the same time the officers were directed to cultivate
a connection with that division of the county, so as to
create a mutual attachment between the inhabitants of
Warwickshire and the regiment.
The Sixtu had previously proceeded to the islands of 1783
Jersey and Guernsey, from whence they were removed to
Ireland in the autumn of 1783.
On the 5th of May, 1786, the regiment embarked 1786
from Ireland for North America, to relieve the seven:
teenth at Nova Scotia, and was stationed in that island
for several years.
General Sir William Boothby, Baronet, died at Bath 1787
on the 15th of April, 1787, and was succeeded in the
coloneley of the Sixta by Lieut.-General Lancuxor
Baveu, from the fifty-eighth regiment; after whose
decease in 1792, Sir Ra.pH ABERCROMBY was appointed 1792
colonel of the Sixtu, from the sixty-ninth regiment.
While the regiment was stationed in Nova Scotia a
72 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1793 revolution took place in France, and in 1793 the King
and Queen were beheaded. The dangerous doctrines of
liberty and equality extended to the French West India
islands, and the S1xtH were withdrawn from Nova Scotia
and employed in delivering these valuable possessions
from the power of the republican government.
1794 The forces engaged in this enterprise rendezvoused at
Barbadoes in January, 1794, under the orders of General
Sir Charles Grey, K.B. (afterwards Earl Grey), and the
battalion companies of the SixTH constituted part of the
third brigade, the flank companies being formed in gre-
nadier and light infantry battalions. A landing was
effected at three different points on the island of Mar-
tinico in the early part of February, and after some
sharp fighting, in which the Sixra had about halfa dozen
men killed and wounded, this valuable yossession was
delivered from the power of republicanism. Sir Charles
Grey observed in his public despatch:—* The spirit,
‘‘ unanimity, and perseverance of the navy and army
“never were more conspicuous; nor has more cordial
“co-operation ever been manifested between his Ma-
‘¢ jesty’s naval and land forces. In a word, the general,
‘‘and field-officers, and the commanding officers of
‘‘ corps, have set such an example of zeal, activity,
“and animation in this service, which has been so Jaud-
‘‘ ably imitated by all the officers and soldiers of this
“ little army, that they merit the greatest praise.”
From Martinico the grenadiers under Prince Edward
(afterwards Duke of Kent), the light infantry under
Major-General Thomas Dundas, with the Sixru, ninth,
and forty-third regiments, commanded by Colonel Sir
Charles Gordon, re-embarked on the 30th of March, and
arriving at St. Lucia on the Ist of April, completed the
conquest of that fine island in three days. A detachment
King
nes of
India
Scotia
ssions
sed at
eneral
id the
of the
) gre-
was
Mar-
some
dozen
» was
harles
spirit,
army
prdial
Ma-
meral,
rs of
vity,
aud-
this
ward
nder
inth,
l Sir
and
l the
ent
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 73
of the regiment was next employed in the reduction of the 1794
island of Guadaloupe : a determined resistance was made
by the enemy, but the island was captured before the end
of April, and Sir Charles Grey declared in his public des-
patch, that he “could not find words to convey an ade-
“ quate idea, or to express the high sense he entertained,
“of the extraordinary merit evinced by the officers and
‘« soldiers in this service.”
Although the extension of revolutionary power in
Europe engaged the attention of the regicide government
of France, yet the loss of these valuable colonial pos-
sessions was not regarded with indifference, and an ex-
pedition was fitted out at Brest for the recovery of the
conquered islands. In June a body of French troops
arrived at Guadaloupe, and the doctrines of liberty and
equality were so successfully disseminated among the
mulattoes and blacks, that they quickly flocked to the
republican standard. The posts occupied by the British
were attacked, and in October the whole island, except
Fort Matilda, was re-captured by the French. ‘This
fort was defended by the troops under Major-General
Prescott until December, when it was evacuated. The
SixtH had several men killed and wounded in the de-
fence of Guadaloupe, and had also Lieutenant Ekins
wounded.
The regiment having sustained considerable loss from
the effects of climate, transferred its service-men to the
ninth foot, and embarked for England, where it arrived
in July, 1795, and landed at Portsmouth, from whence it
proceeded into Warwickshire to recruit. In this service
it was not, however, very successful, in consequence of
having transferred a number of Warwickshire men to the
ninth regiment in the West Indies,
The regiment marched to Southampton in September,
1795
74 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1795 for the purpose of embar ing for Gibraltar; but the
order was subsequently « = termanded, and it returned
to Warwickshire to re-connence recruiting.
In November of the same year Sir Ralph Abercromby
was removed to the seventh dragoon guards, and the
colonelcy of the SixrH was conferred on Prince WILLIAM
FREDERICK, afterwards Duke of Gloucester.
1796 Ireland being, at this period, in a state bordering on
rebellion, the Sixtn, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Colin
Campbell, were ordered to proceed to that country.
They embarked at Bristol in February, 1796, landed at
Waterford, and in May proceeded to Kilkenny. The
French directory cherished a decided antipathy to the
British government, and seni a body of troops to Ireland
to aid the malcontents in an appeal to arms. In Decem-
ber, when the French armament appeared in Bantry
Bay, the SixtH marched to oppose the enemy, who re-
turned to France without effecting a landing.
1797 The regiment returned to Kilkenny in January, 1797,
from whence it marched in April to Loughlinstown, near
Dublin, where a considerable force was assembled in huts :
it was subsequently encamped in Phoenix Park, Dublin,
and being very weak in numbers, it was united to the
first light infantry battalion : in October it returned to
its huts at Loughlinstown ; and in the early part of
1798 1798, marched to Nenagh, and subsequently to Galway.
The long-suppressed rebellion broke out in May, 1798,
and Ireland became the scene of conflagration, rapine,
and bloodshed, the conduct of the insurgents being of
the most cruel and inhuman character. The Sixru, and
light battalion attached to them, commanded by Lieut.-
Colonel Colin Campbell, were employed in suppressing
this unnatural warfare. Scarcely was this accomplished,
when the French directory endeavoured to revive the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
75
contest by sending General Humbert with about a thou- 1798
sand men to Ireland; and Major Macbean, with eighty
men of the Sixru (who were not attached to the light
battalion) formed part of the force sent against the
French. In the action at Castlebar, on the 27th of
August, the eighty men of the Sixtu were the last that
quitted their ground ; their commanding officer, Major
Macbean, was taken prisoner by the French and very
cruelly treated; but he escaped a few days afterwards
and joined the regiment at Tuam. The French having
been surrounded and made prisoners, the rebellion was
finally suppressed, and the regiment passed the winter at
Moate and Athlone, under the command of Lieut.-
Colonel Bowes.
Tranquillity having been restored in Ireland, the re-
giment embarked at Cork in June, 1799, for Canada,
and landed on the 14th of October at Quebec, where its
ranks were completed by a draft from the third bat-
talion of the sixtieth regiment.
The S1xru remained at Quebec until 1803, when they
proceeded, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bowes,
up the country to Montreal, Kingston, and St. John’s.
In 1804 a second battalion was added to the regiment,
and was embodied at Liverpool, under the superintend-
ence of the colonel, His Royal Highness the Duke of
Gloucester. It was formed of men raised in the county
of Lancaster for limited service, under the additional
force act, passed on the 29th of June, 1804; and was
placed on the establishment of the army from the 25th
of December, 1804. In the same year the first battalion
returned to Quebec, from whence it embarked, in 1806,
for England: it landed at Portsmouth on the 7th of
September, and marched to Deal barracks, where it was
joined by the second battalion.
1799
1803
1804
1806
el it
HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1806 His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester was re-
moved in May, 1806, to the third foot-guards ; and the
coloneley of the Sixru was conferred on Major-General
Sir Groror Nucent, Baronet, from the sixty-second
regiment.
The first battalion having been completed to the war-
establishment by drafts from the second, marched, in
October, to Dover Castle; and in January, 1807, re-
turned to Deal. In April following it embarked for
Gibraltar, where it arrived on the 2nd of June, in a very
complete and efficient state, and it passed the succeeding
twelve months at that important. fortress.
While the Sixru were in garrison at Gibraltar, the ty-
rannical proceedings of Bonaparte in Portugal and Spain,
and the resistance which he met with in those coun-
tries, induced the British Government to aid the patriots
in their endeavours to shake off the French yoke; and in
1808 June,1808, this regiment, mustering upwards of eleven
hundred men, was placed under the orders of Major-Ge-
neral Brent Spencer, with the view of being employed in
this service. For some time, however, the point at which
a landing should take place was not decided, and the
troops appeared first off Ceuta, then proceeded to Cadiz,
subsequently to Lisbon, and back to Cadiz. At length
circumstances occurred which induced Major-General
Spencer once more to proceed to the vicinity of Lisbon,
where he learnt that Lieut.-General Sir Arthur Welles-
ley had arrived, with eight thousand men from Ireland,
in the Mondego river, and immediately proceeded thither
to join him.
Having landed on the shores of Portugal, the Sixtu
were formed in brigade with the thirty-second regiment,
under Brigadier-General Bowes ; the advanced guard
quitted the banks of the Mondego river, on the 9th of
1807
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 77
August, and on the 17th attacked the French under Ge- 1808
neral Laborde in their position at Foleia.
On the morning of this day, which is memorable for
being the first of a series of victories gained by the Bri-
tish troops in the Peninsula, the SixtH issued from
Obidos, a town with a Moorish castle, built on a gentle
eminence in the middle of a valley, and, directing their
march to the left, gained the ridge of heights on the
enemy's right, They formed part of the left column of
attack under Major-General Ferguson, destined to turn
all the enemy's posts on the left of the valley, and the
right of his post at Roleia; also to oppose the efforts of
a body of French troops under General Loison, should
they arrive from Rio Major during the action. The
heights were cleared, the column descended from the
higher grounds in the rear of the centre, and joining Bri-
gadier-General Fane’s brigade, were directed through
the mountains to outflank the French right. Meanwhile
the troops which attacked the enemy's centre were
triumphant ; the Sixtu and other corps in the left column
turned his right flank, and he fell back fighting to the
Quinta de Bugaliera, and soon after four o'clock the
action had ceased. The Sixtu were not seriously en-
gaged : their only loss was Captain John Currey and two
men wounded, and one man missing ; but their gallant
bearing, and eagerness to engage their adversaries were
conspicuous, and they were rewarded with the honour of
bearing the word “ RotE1a” inscribed on their colours.
On the 19th of August the Sixtu marched into posi-
tion at Vimicra, a village near the sea-coast, and situate
in a valley through which runs the little river Maceira ;
and the regiment was one of the corps posted on a large
mountain which commenced at the coast. At seven
o'clock on the morning of the 21st of August a cloud of
78 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1808 dust was observed beyond the nearest hills, and soon
afterwards the French army, commanded by Marshal
Junot, was seen advancing in order of battle.
The Sixrn, and several other corps, were directed to
cross the valley behind the village, and to take post on
another height, which overtopped the hill in front of the
village; and, before the regiment reached the summit,
the battle had commenced. A sternly contested action
among rugged rocks and broken grounds ended in an
entire defeat of the French army ; and the Sixt were re-
warded with the honour of bearing the word ‘* Vimiera”
inscribed on their colours.
These successes were followed by the convention of
Cintra, and the British soldiers saw their gallant efforts
succeeded by the deliverance of Portugal from the power
of the enemy. On the departure of the French, the
Sixtu marched up the country to the strong fortress of
Almeida, situate on the river Coa, in the province of
Beira, where they remained in garrison four months.
In the mean time reports were circulated of the
insurrection against the French, and it was affirmed
that enthusiastic multitudes of Spaniards were pressing
forward from every quarter to complete the destruc-
tion of the legions of Napoleon, which were stated to
be baffled, dispirited, and on the eve of quitting Spain.
Although the accounts given by the Spaniards of their
own strength and power were absurdly exaggerated, yet
the British government, placing some confidence in the
immense numbers of the patriots, and in the goodness of
their cause, sent Lieut.-General Sir John Moore with
an army into Spain to aid them in their laudable exer-
tions to effect their emancipation; and the SixTH were
withdrawn from Almeida to take part in this hazardous
enterprise. After passing the frontiers of Portugal and
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT,
79
with disappointment and disaster. Bonaparte had passed
the Pyrenees with a powerful army, and rushing like a
tempest upon the undisciplined multitudes of patriots, he
quickly broke, destroyed, and dispersed them ; then bend-
ing his course to Madrid, entered the capital in triumph.
Little remained to be done to complete the conquest of
Spain, but the destruction of the army of Britons, who, by
long and toilsome marches through a difficult country, had
ventured to menace his lines, and were the only troops in
Spain capable of resisting his veteran legions. Quitting
Madrid, he advanced with an immense army capable of
enveloping and of swallowing up the handful of British
troops; but Sir John Moore, with his characteristic
energy and skill, withdrew towards the coast, and escaped
the toils of his adversary. The Sixrn were nearly eight
hundred strong ; they were commanded by Major Gor-
don, and were brigaded with the ninth, twenty-third, and
forty-third regiments, under Major-General Beresford :
they suffered most severely in the long and harassing re-
treat over mountains and rivers, through narrow defiles,
and along roads covered with snow; but on arriving at
Corunna, the men obtained shelter in the neighbouring
villages and recruited their wasted strength. While the
troops were waiting the arrival of transports, the French
army appreached, and, on the 16th of January, 1809, 1809
was fought the hard-contested battle of Corunna, in
which British valour and endurance were conspicuously
displayed, and this disastrous expedition was terminated
by a glorious victory, which reflected lustre on the Bri-
tish arms ; but the officers and soldiers had to lament the
loss of their gallant leader, Lieut.-General Sir John
Moore, who was mortally wounded during the heat of the
action.
pushing forward boldly into Spain, the British troops met 1808
80 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
i809 After this victory the troops embarked for England : the
Srxta were one of the last corps which went on board
the transports, having lined the walls of Corunna during
the embarkation ; and, on arriving in England, it was
ascertained that they had lost about four hundred men in
this arduous enterprise, in which they earned the honorary
distinction of bearing the word “ Corunna” inscribed on
their colours.
The regiment remained in England until the middle
of July, when the first battalion, having been completed
to its establishment by drafts from the second, embarked
with the expedition against Holland commanded by
Lieut.-General the Earl of Chatham. In the siege and
capture of Flushing and the reduction of the island of
Walcheren, the regiment had only Ensign Addison and
a few men wounded; but when the Walcheren fever
broke out among the troops, its ranks were thinned by
the ravages of that pestilential disease. The object of
the expedition having been frustrated by delays, the
island was evacuated ; and in December the SixtH re-
turned to England so reduced in numbers, and the sick
men so numerous, as to be unable to furnish the usual
reliefs of the ordinary regimental guard.
1810 In August, 1810, the first battalion embarked at Do-
1811 ver, for Ireland, and was stationed at Cork and Kinsale
1812 until October, 1812, when it embarked for the Peninsula.
Previous to going on board the transports it was in-
spected by Lieut.-General Sir John Hope, the Com-
mander of the Forces in Ireland, who was pleased to ex-
press himself much gratified at witnessing the high state
of discipline, and the general appearance and efficiency
of the corps.
The Sixty, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Archibald
Campbell, arrived at Corunna on the 28th of October ;
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. sl
: the but as the allied army, commanded by Field Marshal i812
oard the Marquis of Wellington, had evacuated Madrid, and
ring was retiring from Burgos upon Salamanca, the transports
was again put to sea, and proceeded to Lisbon, where the
on in regiment landed on the 15th of November, on which
rary day it was joined by four hundred men from the second
d on battalion at Jersey.
After halting a short period at the capital of Portugal, 1813
the regiment marched up the country to join the allied
army ; and taking the field in May, 1813, had the honour
of serving in one of the most brilliant campaigns on re-
cord, in which the legions of Buonaparte were overthrown
in a pitched battle, the barrier of the Pyrenees was
forced, and the victorious British soldiers trod the soil
of France in triumph. The Sixt, with a provisional
battalion (formed of the second battalions of the Twenty-
fourth and Fifty-eighth regiments), and the light infantry
t of of the Brunswick Oels, composed the brigade of Major-
the General Edward Barnes, in the seventh division com-
ait manded by Lieut.-General the Earl of Dalhousie.
sick The Marquis of Wellington appeared at the head of
a magnificent and well-appointed army, and, after passing
the frontiers of Portugal, the tide of war, directed by.
the comprehensive mind of so able a commander, flowed
onwards with majestic violence: formidable positions
iddle
leted
rked
_ by
-and
d of
and
fever
d by
were turned ; the rivers Esla, Tormes, Carion, Pisuerga,
Arlanzan, and Ebro, were crossed in succession ; and the
obstructions of rocks, mountains, and deep ravines were
overcome with a facility which bespoke the ability of the
commander and the excellent quality of the troops serv-
ing under his directions. As the allied army advanced,
the enemy fell back in tumult and disorder, evacuating
strong posts without firing a shot, destroying defensive
works, and calling in detachments with precipitation,
G
82 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1813 until his forces were concentrated in the valley of Vit-
toria, where he prepared to make a resolute stand.
On the morning of the memorable 21st of June, 1813,
the Sixru moved from their camp on the river Bayas,
and traversed the mountains in the direction of Vittoria,
to engage in the attack of the enemy’s formidable posi-
tion; but so rugged was the country, and the tracts
along the hills so difficult, that the battle was raging
with great violence when the division, led by the Earl of
Dalhousie, arrived at their appointed station. They were,
however, in time to take part in forcing the passage of
the Zadora; and the seventh division, with one brigade
of the third, having passed the river, formed the left of
the British line, and were engaged with the French
right in front of the villages of Margarita and Herman-
dad. Finally a complete and most decisive victory was
gained. The conduct of the Earl of Dalhousie and his
division was commended in the public despatch; the
commanding officer of the Sixtn, Lieut.-Colonel Archi-
bald Campbell, was presented with a gold medal, and the
gallantry of the regiment was rewarded with the honour
of bearing the word ‘“ Vittoria” inscribed on its colours.
The Sixtu moved forward in pursuit of the wreck of
the French army in the direction of Pampeluna; but
were subsequently detached against a division of the
enemy under General Clausel, who was not at the battle,
and had taken post at Logrofio, from whence he made a
precipitate retreat to Saragossa, and effected his escape
by the pass of Jaca.
After returning from this enterprise the regiment
penetrated the Pyrenean mountains ; and the light and
seventh divisions occupied the heights of Santa Barbara,
the town of Vera, and the Puerto de Echalar, and com-
municated with the troops in the valley of Bastan. The
French army, having been re-organised under Marshal
Vite
13,
yas,
ria,
osi-
acts
sing
l of
ere,
e of
rade
t of
anch
nan-
was
1 his
the
chi-
the
our
burs.
k of
but
the
ttle,
dea
ape
ent
and
; ara,
om-
he
shal
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 83
The Sixtu, with the remainder of their brigade, moved
forward to support two brigades of the second division
which had been forced from their ground at the head of
the valley of Bastan, and the enemy was driven back
with loss. But the brigades in Roncesvalles having been
obliged to retire, the troops in the valley of Bastan also
fell back to a very strong post in the mountains behind
Irueta. The regiment lost several men on this occasion,
and had Major Gomm and Ensign Radcliff wounded.
Its conduct, with that of the other corps engaged, was
commended by the Marquis of Wellington, who observed
in his despatch :— Notwithstanding the enemy’s supe-
‘¢ riority of numbers, they acquired but little advantage
‘“‘ over these brave troops during the seven hours they
“were engaged. All the regiments charged with the
“ bayonet.”
From Irueta the Sixtu retired with their division to
the Lizasso, and on the 29th of July took post in the
mountains near Marcolain, to connect the operations of
the main body of the army with Lieut.-General Sir
Rowland Hill’s corps. Some sharp fighting took place
in the mountains on the following day. The Sixtu
were engaged in carrying the height which separated the
enemy’s right flank, and had Lieutenant Sandys and
several men wounded.
When Marshal Soult found himself frustrated in his
attempt to relieve Pampeluna, and retired with the main
body of his army, leaving a strong corps in an excellent
position in the pass of Donna Maria, the Sixtn moved
forward in pursuit, and, with the remainder of the se-
venth division and Sir Rowland Hill's corps, ascended
the two flanks of the mountain on the 31st of July, and
dislodged the enemy in gallant style.
G2
Soult, attacked the British posts on the 25th of July. 1813
84 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
181g The army continued to press on the rear of the French,
and the fourth and seventh divisions proceeded by the
valley of the Bidassoa towards the frontiers of France.
The Sixtn, with the remainder of the Earl of Dalhou-
sie's division, marched on the morning of the 2nd of
August a distance of ten miles over mountains and
ridges, along paths frequented only by shepherds and
wild goats, from Sumbilla towards the Puerto de Echa-
lar, where two French divisions were found in a for-
midab!) position on the height, with nearly the whole of
their army posted behind the Puerto. The division was
in advance, and the enemy appeared in force. But mili-
tary ardour, with confidence in the prowess of the offi-
cers and men, occasioned the prudential caution of wait-
ing the arrival of additional troops to be disregarded,
and Major-General Barnes formed his brigade for the
attack. The SixtH composed more than half the bri-
gade: having received drafts regularly from the second
battalion on home service, they appeared a fine and
gallant body of men, all eager to engage their opponents.
The provisional battalion and Brunswickers forming the
remainder of the brigade, though inferior in numbers,
were animated with the same spirit as the Sixru, and
the gallant Major-General Barnes led the three bat-
talions up a ridge which it appeared almost madness to
have attacked. The officers and men, ascending the
heights with cheerful alacrity, confronted, with firm and
steady ranks, their numerous opponents, and advanced
to the charge with that determined resolution for which
Britons have been celebrated, and which occasioned a
distinguished officer to say, “ Barnes set at the French
“as if every man had been a bull-dog, and himself the
“best bred of all.” It was a moment of trial: the
innate bravery of the officers and men was put to the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, 85
ench, test; but by a powerful effort, in which the national 1913
y the character was eminently displayed, they forced the two
ance. divisions of the enemy from these formidable heights, and
hou - were pursuing their victorious career, when orders were
id of received to halt. The Marquis of Wellington witnessed
and this brilliant achievement with feelings of exultation, and
- and expressed his admiration in terms which occasioned the
‘cha- following | »‘er to be issued immediately.
for Heigits above Echalar, half-past three o'clock,
ole of Qnd August, 1813.
pin Division Orowr.—The Lieutenant-general has just
mill- “ been desir: | by Lord Wellington to say to the brigade
offi. “ under Maj) ~General Barnes’ command, that ‘ ‘heir
wait- “ attack on the enem is the most gallant, and the finest
rded, “thing he ewer itnessed. These were the words of
: the « the Commanc © of the forces, and Lord Dalhousie feels
| bel “the highest faction in communicating them to
cond “‘ Major-General Sarnes, the officers, and men.”
and In his public « natch, the Marquis of Wellington
ih observed :—“Maje .seneral Barnes’s brigade was formed
g the “for the attack, @e< advanced before the fourth and
ibers, “light divisions cowd co-operate, with a regularity and
» and «* gallantry which I wave seldom seen equalled, and ac-
bat- “ tually drove the two divisions of the enemy, notwith-
eet “ standing the resistam¢e’ opposed to them, from those
3 the “ formidable heights. }« is impossible that I can extol
n and too highly the conduct of Major-General Barnes and
‘ these brave troops, which was the admiration of all who
whic
** were witnesses of it.’’*
ned a ap ee el le i seca occa
rench * Tradition affirms that the Sixt formerly bore the Motto of
“Vi e¢ ARMIs,” and on no oecasion did the regiment more vigor-
if the ously support its claim to bear it than at the Heights of Echa-
: the lar. A pack, bearing that Motto under the Antelope, was pre-
‘o the served by the regiment so late as the year 1825.
86 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1813 On this memorable occasion, of which every officer
and soldier of the S1xtH may be justly proud, the regi-
ment had Captain William Brownlow, two serjeants, and
thirteen rank and file killed; Major Guy Campbell,
Lieutenants Everest, Tarleton, and Addison, four ser-
jeants, and one hundred and thirty-six rank and file
wounded. Majors Guy Campbell, Hugh Maurice Scott,
and Henry Gomm were promoted to the rank of lieu-
tenant-colonel, and the regiment was rewarded with the
honour of bearing the word “ PyreNneEs”’ inscribed on
its colours.
The Sixtu were stationed several weeks in the lofty
Pyrenean mountains: the corps at Roncesvalles and
Maya stood in a most commanding situation, and the
Marquis of Wellington resolved to place his left in an
equally menacing position, by dispossessing the enemy of
some strong ground on the right of the Bidassoa, the
key of which was a steep mountain, called La Rhune.
The attack was commenced on the 7th of October, and
completely succeeded. A detachment of the Sixtn, sent
forward through the Puerto de Echalar, was partially
engaged, and had Captain Shawe and one man killed ;
Captain Rogers, one serjeant, and five rank and file
wounded.
In the attack of the enemy’s position on the Nivelle,
on the 10th of November, the Sixtx were in the column
under Marshal Sir William Beresford, which carried the
redoubts on the left of the enemy’s centre; advanced on
the left of the river upon St. Pé; crossed the stream at
that place, and drove a body of French from the heights
beyond the village: in which service the regiment had
one man killed and six wounded ; and its gallant bearing
was rewarded with the privilege of displaying the word
‘“* NIVELLE ” on its colours.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 87
In the passage of the Nive, and the actions of the 9th, 1813
10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of December, the regiment
co-operated, but was not brought into centact with the
enemy ; and the army afterwards went into quarters until
the severity of the weather was abated.
Operations were, however, recommenced in February, 1814
1814, and the regiment formed part of the corps under
Sir William Beresford, who attacked, on the 22nd of
that month, the fortified posts at Hastingues and Oyer-
gave, and obliged the enemy to retire within the ¢éte-de-
pont at Peyrehorade.
The enemy being in position at Orthes, the Sixtu,
and other corps under Sir William Beresford, crossed
the Gave de Pau on the morning of the 26th of February,
and moved along the high road from Peyrehorade towards
Orthes. On the following day they advanced to attack
the enemy’s right, on the heights on the high road to
Dax, and at the village of St. Boes. The village was
carried by the fourth division; and the Sixt advanced
in column to turn the head of a ravine between them-
selves and the enemy; but on emerging from the village
they were ordered to form line. Colonel Ross's brigade
of horse artillery came up at full speed and unlimbered
in the rear of the regiment, when sections were thrown
back to permit the fire of the artillery to pass through
the line. The ground was, however, so low that the
troops could not deploy to attack the heights. The
SixtH moved forward, and in the after descent of the
back of the ravine the French fire told heavily on the
regiment. Several officers and many men fell; Lieut.-
Colonel Gardiner, of the Sixru *, who commanded the
brigade on this occasion, had his horse killed under him
* Now Major-General Sir John Gardiner, K.C.B., Deputy
Adjutant-General of the Forces,
hi oes Spa aie Hate eee
Pi
H
H
Hy
[
i
fi
eee es el i teenies eee ame
—-
|
en
ie
Pie RAREST
SRS. eer eR BAe
os
88 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1814 while leading the regiment forward, and as a serjeant and
a private were extricating him from under the animal, the
private was shot through the chest and died instantly,
and the serjeant’s hands were both pierced by musket-
balls: one of the colour-staves was also damaged by a
ball. At this moment the Marquis of Wellington came
galloping past the regiment, and cried, “ S1xTu, incline
to your right ;” which was obeyed; but the ground was
so rugged, and the enemy’s fire so heavy, that some con-
fusion took place: the road was, however, boldly gained ;
and from a ditch and earthen bank the regiment opened
a destructive fire on the enemy, who were in line on each
flank, and, some kneeling and others lying on the ground,
kept up a heavy cross fire. Meanwhile the left of the
height on which the enemy’s right stood had been carried ;
Sir Rowland Hill had also forced the passage of the
Gave above Orthes; and the troops opposed to the
S1xTH eventually gave way, when the regiment moved
forward in pursuit.
The regiment lost, on this occasion, Lieutenants Patullo
and Scott, five serjeants, and nineteen rank and file
killed; Captains Rogers, Thompson, Smith, and Fitz-
gerald, Lieutenants Jones, Craufurd, and Gilder, with
Ensigns St. Clair and Blood, sixteen serjeants, one drum-
mer, and a hundred and four rank and file wounded.
Colonel Gardiner, who commanded the brigade, and
Lieut.-Colonel Scott, who commanded the regiment,
were presented with gold medals; and the word “OrtuEs”
was inscribed on the regimental colours as a testimony
of its gallantry.
On the 8th of March the regiment was detached, with
other forces under Sir William Beresford, towards Bour-
deaux: the French troops in garrison withdrew to the
right of the Garonne, and on the 12th of that month, as
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 89
nd the British approached the town, they were met by the 1814
he civil authorities and population of the place, and were
ly, received into the city with acclamations; the magistrates }
et- and city-guards removing the tri-coloured and display-
y a ing the white cockade.
e The S1xts were subsequently employed against the
ine French troops on the Garonne and Dordogne ; and on the i
vas 5th of April two companies attacked the rear of a column
bn- of the enemy and took many prisoners. The regiment |
rd ; was afterwards employed in investing the fort of Blaye, |
hed which commanded the navigation of the Garonne; in |
ach which service it was engaged when Buonaparte abdicated i
d, the throne of France, and the Bourbon dynasty was re- i
he stored, which gave peace to Europe. Hi
ed 5 The distinguished part which the Sixta had taken in
he the splendid achievements by which the kingdoms of q
he Portugal, Spain, and France had been delivered from
ed the despotic rule of Buonaparte was rewarded with the
honour of bearing the word “ PEninsuLa”’ on their
NG colours. Soon after the termination of the contest in
file Europe they were destined to transfer their services
tz- across the Atlantic, to take part in the war between
ith Britain and the United States of America, which com-
m- menced in 1812, in consequence of the resistance of the
ed. Americans to the British orders in council respecting the
ind trade of neutral nations, and to the impressing of British
nt, seamen on board of American ships. The regiment
a8” embarked from Bourdeaux on the 5th of May, arrived in
my Canada in the beginning of July, and proceeded to Mon- ~
treal, from whence it was removed to the Niagara fron-
ith tier to reinforce the division commanded by Lieut.-
un General Gordon Drummond, who was engaged in the
the siege of Fort Erie. Having joined this division of the
as army, the Sixta formed part of the reserve brigade ;
10) HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1814 and on the 6th of September the eighth company,
commanded by Captain Pattison, cut off a strong piquet
of Americans close under the walls of the fort, in
a manner very creditable to the discipline, spirit, and
enterprise of the officers and men. On the 17th of the
same month the regiment was engaged in repelling a
very bold sortie made by a numerous body of Americans,
with the view of carrying by assault, and afterwards
destroying, the British works and batteries ; on which
occasion the following order was issued :—
“ Camp before Fort Erie,
18th September, 1814.
“ District GENERAL OrpER.—Lieut.-General Drum-
“ mond, having received the report of the general officer
“in the immediate direction of the troops engaged yes-
*“‘terday, begs to offer his best acknowledgments for
‘their very gallant conduct in repulsing the attack
“made by the enemy on our batteries with his whole
force, represented as consisting of not less than five
thousand men, including the militia.
“The brilliant style in which the battery No. 2 was
“ recovered, and the enemy driven beyond our entrench-
‘‘ ments by seven companies of the Eighty-second, under
“the command of Major Proctor, and three companies
“ of the Sixru regiment, detached under Major Taylor,
‘excited Lieut.-General Drummond's admiration, and
entitle those troops to his particular thanks.” -
Thus the Sixt were triumphant in the interior of
France and on the frontiers of Canada in the same year,
and their gallantry on the last occasion procured for
them the royal permission to bear the word “ NiaGaRa”
inscribed on their colours. This honour was, however,
purchased with the loss of many lives: Captain Pattison
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 91
Lieutenant Andrews were wounded, and the last-men-
tioned officer died of his wounds.
A treaty of peace having been concluded with the
Americans, hostilities ceased, and the Sixra reposed a
short period in quarters.
In the summer of 1815, the return of Buonaparte to 1815
France having rekindled the flame of war in Europe,
the Sixtu were directed to embark from America, in
order to engage once more in actual warfare. They left
Canada in the beginning of July, landed at Ostend on
the 10th of August, and proceeded to Ghent, from
whence they continued their march to Paris, and joined
the army commanded by Field Marshal His Grace the
Duke of Wellington, encamped near that city. The
Sixtu, sixteenth, fifty-cighth, and eighty-second regi-
ments formed the fifteenth brigade, and were posted in
the seventh division, commanded by Major-General
Thomas Brisbane.
When the definitive treaties between France and the
allied powers were settled, the Sixtu were selected to
form part of the army of occupation in France, and
constituted, with the twenty-ninth and seventy-first
regiments, the sixth brigade of infantry, under Major-
General Sir Thomas Bradford, in the second division,
commanded by Lieut.-General Sir Henry Clinton. The
SixrH were quartered at Versailles, from whence they
marched, in December, to Ecouen, a village on the road
from Paris to Luzarches.
On the 24th of December, 1815, the second battai?on
was disbanded at Winchester.
The Sixru remained in the neighbourhood of
Ecouen until the 23rd of January, 1816, when they 1816
marched for St, Pol in the Pas de Calais, and in Febru-
was numbered among the slain; Captain Smith and 1814
92 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1816 ary three companies occupied Lillers, and seven the
adjacent villages.
In August, 1816, the regiment proceeded to the
vicinity of St. Omer, and encamped, with the remainder
of the sccond division of the British contingent of the
army of occupation, on Helfant Heath. In October it
proceeded to the plains of Denain, near Valenciennes,
where the British contingent was reviewed by Field-
Marshal His Grace the Duke of Wellington on the 22d
of that month. After the review the regiment returned
to its former cantonments at Lillers and the neighbour-
ing villages.
1817 The Sixtu were again encamped on He!lfant Heath
in July, 1817; in September they pitched their tents
on the glacis of Valenciennes, near the Quesnoy gate ;
and cn the 6th of that month were reviewed, with the
remainder of the British infantry, by the King of Prus-
sia. They removed in October to the plains of Denain,
where the British contingent was reviewed by the Duke
of Wellington on the 15th of October; on the 20th the
Sixt returned to their former quarters at Lilers, &c.
1818 In these quarters they remained until June, 1818, when
they once more pitched their tents on Helfant Heath,
where they were reviewed by Lieut.-General Lord Hill
on the 24th of June, and by the Duke of Wellington on
the 31st of July. In August they again pitched their
tents on the glacis at Valenciennes. On the 10th of
September the British, Saxon, Danish, and Hanoverian
armies, commanded by the Duke of Wellington, were
reviewed by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent ;
and on the 23rd of October, the same troops, and also
the Russian contingent, were reviewed by the Emperor
of Russia, King of Prussia, &. After the review, the
army of occupation was withdrawn from France. The
n the
0 the
\inder
f the
ber it
ones,
Field-
e 22d
urned
bour-
Teath
tents
gate ;
h the
Prus-
anain,
Duke
h the
B, &c.
when
eath,
Hill
bn on
their
h of
rian
were
ent ;
also
beror
, the
The
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 93
on the morning of the 30th at Dover, and marched to
Romford in Essex, where the establishment was reduced
to ten companies, of thirty-nine officers, thirty-five ser-
jeants, thirty corporals, twenty-two drummers, and six
hundred and twenty private men.
From Romford the S1xtu marched in November to
Sunderland and Carlisle, and in June, 1819, to Edin- 1819
burgh Castle, with one company detached to Stirling,
another to Aberdeen, and in the autumn a company was
detached to Berwick. In consequence of the disturbed
state of the northern counties of England, seven com-
panies were ordered into Yorkshire—four companies
proceeding to Leeds, and three to Halifax: the company
left at Berwick arrived at Halifax, and the two com-
panies left at Edinburgh at Leeds, in January, 1820. 1820
At an inspection on the 27th of April following, Lieut.-
General Sir John Byng expressed his approbation of the
appearance, discipline, and interior economy of the regi-
ment ; and also at the inspection on the 22nd of May,
1821.
The S1xtu remained at Leeds and Halifax until June,
1821, when they proceeded to Hull, and embarked for
the island of St. Helena, Two companies had sailed for
their destination when information arrived of the death
of Napoleon Buonaparte in exile at St. Helena. The
remainder of the regiment then proceeded to the Downs,
where its destination was changed to the Cape of Good
Hope, and after a tedious voyage arrived on the 3rd of
November at Table Bay, where it was joined by the two
companies from St. Helena. Having landed, the regi-
ment was inspected by Lieut.-General Sir Rufane Don-
kin, K.C.B., at Cape Town, and was commended for
its appearance, conduct, and efficient state—its effectives
Sixtu embarked at Calais on the 29th of October, landed 1818
94 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1821 being only one man less the. on its embarkation from
England. After remaining a few days on shore, five
companies, under Brevet-Major Rogers, re-embarked
and sailed to Algoa Bay, from whence they proceeded to
Graham's 'Town, and marched from thence to several
posts and forts along the frontier line. The establish-
ment had, in the mean time, been reduced to eight com-
panies of thirty-three officers and six hundred and
eighteen non-commissioned officers and private soldiers.
1822 In January, 1822, the head-auarters, under Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel Scott, embarked from Cape Town, and
arrived at Graham’s ‘Town towards the end of the same
month ; at the same time Lieut.-Colonel Scott took the
command of the troops on the frontier line of Caffreland.
The regiment was stationed along the frontiers, and was
much employed in patrolling and other duties to prevent
the aggressions of the natives. When not thus occupied,
the men were engaged as labourers and artificers at the
government works.
1823 In October, 1823, the flank companies proceeded to
Cape Town, and were followed by the head-quarters in
November. Colonel Mark Napier, having arrived at the
Cape, assumed the command of the regiment; Lieut.-
Colonel Scott was nominated commandant at Simons-
town, and the command of the six companies left on the
frontiers of Caffreland devolved on Captain Cox.
1824 In August and September, 1824, four companies
were withdrawn from the frontiers and joined the
1825 head-quarters: in January, 1825, the regiment was in-
spected at Cape Town by Lieut.-General Lord Charles
Henry Somerset, who was pleased to express himself
much gratified at witnessing its good appearance after
being so long detached, and the men employed in work-
ing parties.
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 95
the India establishment ; and the usual augmentation of
officers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in March,
1825. On the 22nd of March it embarked at Table
Bay on board the Windsor and Vansittart, Indiamen,
and landed on the 31st of May at Bombay. It occu-
pied the barracks at Fort George, and, Colonel Napier
having been appointed commaudant of the fort and gar-
rison, it was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Scott. It
was inspected on the 9th of June by Major-General
Samuel Wilson, of the Hon. East India Company’s ser-
vice, who expressed himself much. pleased with the steady
and veteran appearance of the men, and particularly
commended its interior economy.
In June, 1825, the establishment was augmented to
a thousand and eight rank and file. During that and
the following months the regiment suffered severely from
the cholera morbus, which carried off many of the finest
and strongest men: the mortality was particularly great
among the women and children.
At the close of the rainy season, in September, the re-
giment was suddenly ordered from Bombay to form part
of a field-force assembling at Cutch, with a view to the
invasion of Scinde, between the umeers of which country
and the Bombay guvernment serious differences had
arisen, in consequence of the incursions of a tribe of
Mayanas on the Cutch frontier. The regiment embarked
from Bombay on the 21st of September, four hundred
and sixty-eight strong, landed at Mandavie, in the gulf
of Cutch, between the 10th and 15th of October, and
marched towards Bhooj, the capital, beyond which city
it pitched its tents, on the 2nd of November, near the vil-
lage of Juruck, where eight thousand men were assem-
bled under the command of Colonel Mark Napier of the
The regiment had in the mean time been placed on 1825
96 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1825 Sixtu. It was formed in brigade with the Twenty-first
regiment of Sipahees and the flank companies of the
second Bombay European regiment, under the orders of
Lieut.-Colonel Scott of the S1xtu ; and the command of
the regiment devolved on Major Algeo.
On the 3rd of December the troops moved from Ju-
ruck to the neighbourhood of Raddiapoor, and, Colonel
Napier being obliged to leave the army from indisposi-
tion, the command devolved on Lieut.-Colonel Scott of
the Sixru. While at this camp six officers and seventy-
seven fine recruits, from Yorkshire and Lancashire,
joined the regiment.
1826 In January, 1826, the army removed to Madapoor ;
in February it encamped near the fort and city of Bhooj ;
and, in March, the umeers of Scinde having yielded to
the demands of the Bombay government, the regiments
were ordered back to their different stations. The Sixru
embarked from Mandavie on the 20th and 2Lst of March,
in pattimars (small craft with open decks) ; arrived at
the presidency on the 26th and 30th of that month, and
occupied the barracks on the little island of Colaba. Its
loss from sickness, during the first six months after its
arrival in India, was one officer and sixty-nine men, and
forty-one invalided.
Brevet-Major Thompson, Lieutenant Gordon, and
one hundred and forty-six recruits, joined from England
in the beginning of May ; and, at the inspection on the
18th of that month, Major-General Wilson commended
the appearance and orderly conduct of the regiment in
quarters, which he repeated at the inspection on the 14th
of December. During the year 1826 the regiment lost
four officers and fifty men.
1827 Lieut.-Colonel Scott, commandant of the fort and gar-
rison of Bombay, inspected the regiment on the 3rd of
ty -first
of the
ders of
and of
ym Ju-
olonel
lisposi-
cott of
eventy-
cashire,
apoor ;
Bhooj ;
lded to
giments
> SIXTH
March,
ived at
th, and
ba. Its
nfter its
en, and
bn, and
ngland
on the
mended
ent in
he 14th
ent lost
nd gar-
b Srd of
PRE SIX) 8 REGIMENT OF FOOT. 7
May, 15”, anvel cx qressed his satisfaction at its appear- 1827
ance and condition. Ow the 8th of that month six officers
and one hundred and eighty men joined from England.
The decease of Lieut.-Colonel Scott occurred in October
following, and Major Algeo of the S1x:" assumed the
command of the fort and garrison of Bombay, until the
arrival of Colonel Henry Sullivan in November, when
Major Algeo resumed the command of the regiment.
Colonel Sullivan inspected the regiment on the 15th of
December, and every department met with his approval.
During the year 1827 the regiment lost two officers and
forty men; ancinvalided twenty-three men.
Seven officers and two hundred and eleven men joined 1828
from England in May, 1828. During the heavy rains
many men were carried off by the cholera morbus; in
the month of July alone the Sixtn_ lost fifty-eight men
from this disease. This was a year of general sickness
all over India; but at no station did any regiment suffer
so much as the Sixtn on Colaba island ; their loss being
two officers and one hundred and twenty one men, and
they sent sixty-two invalids to England.
The very sickly state of the regiment, from its having 1829
been stationed during four monsoons at Bombay, occa-
sioned it to be removed to the more healthy station of
Poona in the Deccan: it embarked from Colaba on the
6th of February, 1829, landed at Panwell on the oppo-
site coast in the evening, ancl marched for Poona, where
it arrived on the 17th, and was stationed in the lines then
recently occupied by the twentieth regiment. The health
of the men began to improve rapidly, and in afew months
the Sixrn were one of the most healthy and efficient
corpsin India. In May one hundred and thirty-five vo-
lunteers from the forty-seventh regiment joined the Sixt
in camp at Poona; and at the inspection, on the LOth of
H
98 HISTORICAL RECORD OF
1829 June, Major-General Sir Lionel Smith, K.C.B., ex-
pressed himself much gratified with the appearance and
efficiency of the corps. The loss from disease during
this year was thirty-two men.
1830 ‘The condition of the regiment was also much com-
mended by Sir Lionel Smith at the inspections in Ja-
nuary and June, 1830. In July the flank companies
were ordered to be completed to one hundred rank and
file each, under the command of Captain Murphy, with
the second or Queen's royal, and flank companies of the
eleventh and thirteenth native infantry, the whole to be
commanded by Colonel Willshire, to march against
Ukkulcote ; but this fort having surrendered to the troops
under the President of Sattara (Lieut.-Colonel A. Ro-
bertson, the Resident at the court), the march was coun-
termanded. In December the strength of the regiment
wag increased by the arrival at the camp at Poona of
fourteen volunteers from the first, or the royals, and
ninety-two from the eighty-ninth regiment. Its loss
from disease this year was three officers and twenty-four
men.
1831 At the inspections in January and June, 1831, Colo-
nel Henry Sullivan, commanding the Poona division, ex-
pressed his unqualified approbation of the condition of
the regiment. This year it was particularly healthy, its
loss being only one officer and eight men; and when
inspected in November, by Major-General Sir James
Stevenson Barns, K.C.B., commanding the forces in the
Bombay presidency, its appearance, discipline, efficiency,
and general good conduct in quarters, were commended.
1882 ‘The regiment remained at Poona during the year
1832, and on the 24th of May, 1832, His Majesty King
William IV. was graciously pleased to confer upon it the
title of Sixra, ok Roya First WarwicksuiRE Reai-
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. QQ
, X- MENT OF Foor*; at which time its facings were changed 1832
and from yellow to blue.
iring In January, 1833, the regiment was at Panwell, in 1833
February it was encamped near Dungah, and in March 1834
com- at Deesa, where it remained during that and the two suc- 1835
\ Ja- ceeding years, when it proceeded to Colaba, It was 1836
anies stationed at Colaba during the years 1836 and 1837 + ; 1837
; and and in the beginning of 1838 returned to cantonments at 1838 |
with Poona, where it has remained until the end of the year ; |
f the which brings this record to a conclusion. |
to be The formation of the Sixt, or Royan First War- | |
zainst WICKSHIRE Reciment, in 1674, to support the cause of {
roops civil and religious liberty in Holland against the power of
. Ro- the ambitious Louis XIV. of France, gives an interesting
coun- character to its origin, and also to its early services in
‘iment support of the Protestant interests. At the Revolution,
ona of in 1688, it had the honour to compose part of the army
, and which appeared in England to rescue the country from
s loss the dangers by which it was menaced. It aided in deli-
-four vering Ireland from the power of papacy, and afterwards
fought under King William ITI. in the Netherlands. In
Colo- the war of the Spanish succession it performed much sharp |
bn, ex- fighting and arduous duty in Spain. Its services at home,
ion of and in the West Indies, have been of an important cha-
1y, its racter. It had the honour to gain laurels under Lieut.-
when General Sir John Moore, and also under the Duke of
James par
in the * The Sixt foot, previous to their being styled ‘‘ RoyAt,"
iency, bore on their colours and appointments many “‘ Roya.” marks
of favour, viz. ‘The Rose and Crown”—* The King’s Crest’—
“ Nec uspera terrent”—“ The Antelope within the Garter,’ and
motto ‘“ Hont soit qui mal y pense.” See page 68.
‘+ On the 15th of June, 1837, authority was given for the
badge of the “ ANTKLopE” being resumed on the coats of the
drummers of the SixtH or Royan First WARWICKSHIRE ReGi-
MENT.
rnded.
PB year
King
it the
REGI-
H 2
100 HISTORICAL RECORD, &c.
1838 Wellington, in Portugal, Spain, and France, and ac-
quired distinction on the distant shores of Lake Erie in
North America. During the last eighteen years it has
been employed in protecting the British colonial posses-
sions in Africa and Asia, a service from which important
commercial advantages are derived by the country.
id ac-
rie in
it has
yOSses-
ortant
SIXTH (THE ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE) REGIMENT OF FOOT, MDCCC XXXIX.
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS
OF THE
SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
SIR WALTER VANE,
Appointed 12th December, 1673.
Str Water Vang, fifth son of the celebrated Sir Henry
Vane, secretary to King Charles I., served in the royal cause
during the rebellion. He afterwards distinguished himself
on the continent, and having acquired the character of a brave
and meritorious officer, was advanced to the rank of marshal
of the field in the Spanish service. On the decease of Colonel
Robert Sidney, in 1668, King Charles II. conferred the
colonelcy of the Holland regiment (now third foot, or the buffs)
on Sir Walter Vane; who, in the winter of 1673-4, was pro-
moted to the rank of major-general in the English army, and
appointed commandant of the British troops in the pay of the
United Provinces of the Netherlands, and colonel of one of
the English regiments (now Sixtu foot) ordered to be raised
for the service of the States-General. He joined the army in
the field, commanded by the Prince of Orange, and signalized
himself on the 1st of August, 1674, at the battle of Seneffe,
where he was mortally wounded. He was interred in the
great church at the Hague, aud a mural monument was
erected in the cloister of the said church, with the following
inscription :—
Hic juxta reponuntur exuviae
WALTERI VANE,
militis,
filii quinti ;
Henrici Vane
militis,
SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
Carolo Primo Magnae Britanniae Regi
A sacris conciliis et secretarii Principal.
Qui a serenissimo principe
Auriaco
Campo prefectus,
media inter agmina,
forti manu, sed fortiori animo
in
Prelio Seneffensi
Hostium impetum et rabiem repeliens,
Ceeco sed inexpugnabili marte percussus,
Montii.oppido quod est Hannonie,
Anno Dom. CI9.I9C.LXXIIII
fEtatis suee LV.
III Nonas Augusti
Invictam ver vulnera reddidit
Animam Deo*.
TRANSLATION.
Close to this spot are deposited the remains of
WALTER VANE,
a soldier,
Fifth son of
Henry Vane
soldier,
Privy Councillor and chief secretary to
Charles the first, King of Great Britain.
He was made marshal of the field,
by his serene highness
Auriacus.
And while repelling, in the midst of his troops, with a brave
hand, but with a braver soul, a furious attack of the enemy, at
the battle of Seneffe, was struck with a blind, but inevitable
blow, and in the town of Montium, which is a town of Hannonia,
In the year of our Lord 1674
In the 55th year of his own age
On the 3rd day of August,
He gave up his soul, unconquered by his wounds,
To God.
* Copied from the monumental tablets in the cloister and great church
at the Hague, by the Rev. William Stevens, 1838.
rave
y, at
table
onia,
urch
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
LUKE LILLINGSTON,
Appointed in 1674.
Tus officer commanded a company in one of the regiments
raised by King Charles IL. in 1672; after the peace of Lon-
don his regiment wus disbanded, when he proceeded to
Holland with a number of men of his company, and entered
the Dutch service. He served at the siege of Grave, and
during the following winter he was appointed colonel of one
ofthe English regiments raised on that occasion, now the
Sixrn foot; but his decease occurred betore he attuined any
higher rank,
‘THOMAS ASHLEY,
Appointed 18th September, 16115.
Tuomas AsHLey held a commission in the English army
previous to the treaty of London in 1674; when his regiment
was disbanded, and he entered the Dutch service. He served
under the Prince of Orange (afterwards William III.), and
towards the end of the campaign of 1675 he was promoted
to the coloneley of a regiment, now the Sixtu foot. He dis-
tinguished himself at the siege of Maestricht in 1676, and
was at the disastrous battle of Mont-Cassel in the following
year,
SIR HENRY BELLASIS, KNIGHT*,
Appointed 3rd April, 1618.
Sik Henry Bewiasis was educated in strict principles of
loyalty and attachment to monarchical government, and
though but a youth at the time, he suffered in the royal cause
during the usurpations of Cromwell. Soon after the restora-
tion he was appointed captain of an independent company of
one hundred men, in garrison at Hull, of which fortress the
Lord Bellasis (or Belasyse) was appointed governor; who
pease.
* This officer's name is frequently spelt Beiasyse.
104 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
resigned, in 1673, in consequence of the Test-act, he being a
Roman Catholic. In the summer of 1674 Sir Henry Bel-
lusis raised a company of musketeers and pikemen for the ser-
vice of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and was en-
gaged at the siege of Grave in the autumn of that year. He
alyo served at the siege of Maestricht in 1676; at the battle
of Mont-Cassel iu 1677; and in the following spring he suc-
ceeded Colonel Ashley in the command of the regituent which
is now the Sixtn fooi. At the battle of St. Denis, in 1678, he
evinced signal valour and ability, vying in feats of gallantry
with his commanders the Prince of Orange and the celebrated
Marl of Ossory, and was wounded. During the rebellion of the
Duke of Monmouth, in 1685, he accompanied his regiment to
England ; and in 1687 circumstances occurred which occa-
sioned him to withdraw from the Dutch service; but he pre-
served his attachment to the protestant interest and to the
Prince of Orange. In 1689 he succeeded the Duke of Nor-
folk in the colonelcy of a newly-raised regiment (now twenty-
second foot), with which corps he served in Ireland under the
veteran Duke Schomberg. He served as brigadier-general
under King William in 1690; was at the battle of the Boyne ;
and at the siege of Limerick, where he again distinguished
himself. In 1691 he acquired new honours at the siege of
Athlone; he also displayed bravery and judgment at the
battle of Aghrim; and on the reduction of Galway he was
ippointed governor of that fortress, and took possession of the
town on the 26th of July, with his own and _ two other regi-
ments of foot. The rank of major-general was conferred on
this distinguished officer in April, 1692, and he commanded
brigade under King William in Flanders, in the autumn of
that year. He acquired additional reputation at the battle of
Landen, in 1693; also in the command of a brigade under
King William during the following campaign; and in October,
1694, his Majesty rewarded him with the rank of lieutenant-
general, His meritorious conduct procured him the favour
aud confidence of his sovereign, by whom he was employed
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 105
ga ou important services. He commanded the camp on the
3el- Bruges canal in May, 1695; and a division of the cover-
sere ing army was placed under his orders during the siege of
en- Namur. At the close of the campaign he was appointed |
He president of the general court-martial which tried the officers i
ttle who surrendered Dixmude and Deinse to the enemy, and sen- i
Buc- tenced Major-General Ellemberg to be shot. He continued
lich to serve in the Netherlands until the peace of Ryswick. In }
» he ; 1701 he obtained the colonelcy of the Queen Dowager’s regi-
itry ment (now second fvot) in xchange with Colonel Selwyn. fl
nted In 1702 he was second in command of the British troops ia
the the expedition to Cadiz; and having been charged with par- |
t to 4 ticipating in the plunder of Port St. Mary, he was tried bya |
ca- court-martial and dismissed the service. His reputation was |
re- thus unfortunately tarnished ; but his crime does not appear
the to have been considered of a heinous nature, as he was sub-
Jor- sequently elected a member of parliament for the city of Dur-
nty- ham; was appointed hy Queen Anne, in 1711, one of the
the commissioners to inquire into several particulars respecting
eral the accounts of the army in Spain; and in June, 1713, he
ne ; was appointed governor of Berwick. He died on the 14th of
hed December, 1717.
Rd WILLIAM BABINGTON,
ane Appointed 28th September, 1689.
yea Tus officer served with distinction under the Prince of
agi- Orange in the Netherlands; he was rewarded with the lieut.-
i colonelcy of Sir Henry Bellasis’ regiment (now Sixt foot),
ded and in September, 1689, he was promoted to the colonelcy.
i6r. He commanded the regiment in Ireland; but retired in 1691,
e of and his decease appears to have occurred before he attained
re any higher rank than that of colonel.
ber, GEORGE PRINCE OF HESSE D’ARMSTADT,
unt= Appointed 15th April, 1691.
oN: GeorcE Prince or Hesse D’Armsranpt descended from an
ancient and illustrious family in Germany, and was brother
106 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
of the reigning landgrave of that name. Having entered the
service of the emperor of Germany, le gave early proofs of
innate valour in 1685, in the war with th: Turks; he also
signulized himself in the three succeeding campaigns,—par-
ticularly at the famous siege of Negropont; and in 1689 he
served against the French with the army on the Rhine, and
was wounded at the siege of Bonn, and also at the siege of
Mentz. In the following year he visited England, and at-
tending King William during the campaign in Ireland, he was
wounded on the evening preceding the battle of the Boyne,
by the cannon-ball which grazed his Majesty’s shoulder. In
April, 1691, the King rewarded him with the colonelcy of the
S1xTH foot, and the appointment of brigadier-general on the
staff of the army in Ireland, where he highly distinguished
himself at the head of the grenadiers at the storming of
Athlone ; and led his regiment to the charge with surprising
intrepidity at the battle of Aghrim, and was wounded. He
also added to his rising reputation by his conduct during the
siege of Limerick. King William was anxious to reward such
distinguished merit, but the Prince, being a Roman Catholic,
was not eligible for promotion in the British army: his
Majesty, therefore, procured him an appointment in the
Spanish service; and having signalized his valour, zeal for
the confederate cause, and ability to command, during the
siege of Barcelona, in 1697, the King of Spain constituted
him viceroy of Catalonia.
The Prince quitted Spain on the accession of the Duke of
Anjou, in 1701, to the throne of that kingdom, and proceed-
ing to England, was consulted by King William respecting
the best mode of recovering that monarchy from the power of
the house of Bourbon. He accompanied the expedition com-
manded by the Duke of Ormond, to Cadiz, in 1702, in the
capacity of plenipotentiary from the emperor of Germany ;
and he was subsequently employed on a mission to the court
of Portugal. He had the honour of taking a distinguished
part in the capture of Gibraltar in 1704; and the vatour, skili,
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 107
indefatigable industry, and unshaken resolution, with which
he afterwards defended that fortress, were commended by the
historians of that period. He accompanied the Archduke
Charles of Austria in the expedition against Barcelona in 1705,
and was killed at the head of the storming party at the capture
of Fort Montjuich on the 13th August, 1705.
HENRY MARQUIS DE RADA,
Appointed 1st February, 1694.
Tuts nobleman was the son of the Marquis de Montpouillan ;
he served at the head of the Stxtu foot, under King William,
in the Netherlands, and died of a fever at Bruges, in the be-
ginning of the campaign of 1695.
VENTRIS COLUMBINE,
Appointed 23rd June, 1695.
Ventris CotumBinE served with reputation under the Prince
of Orange in the Netherlands, and was promoted to the com-
mission of major in the regiment which is now the S1xru foot.
He accompanied the Prince in the expedition to England in
1688, but the transport in which he was embarked was cap-
tured by the British ship, the Swallow. He was rewarded
with the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment in 1689; served
under King William in Ireland, in 1690; and, in 1691, was
wounded at the storming of Athlone. He subsequently ex-
changed to the foot guards; served under King William in the
Netherlands, and while engaged in the memorable siege of the
strong fortress of Namur he was promoted to the colonelcy of
the regiment in which he had formerly served with honour to
himself and advantage to his Majesty’s interest. He served at
the head of his regiment in 1702, in the expedition to Cadiz,
and was engaged in storming the forts at Vigo; but his de-
cease occurred before he was promoted to a higher command.
JAMES RIVERS,
Appointed 2nd November, 103.
James Rivers had the honour of serving under King William
108 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
in Ireland and the Netherlands, and his meritorious conduct
was rewarded with the lieut.-colonelcy of the regiment which
now ranks as Sixt foot, with which corps he served in the
expedition to Cadiz, and at the storming of the forts at Vigo.
In 1703 Queen Anne promoted him to the colonelcy of the re-
giment; but he only enjoyed that honourable command two
years, and died in the winter of 1705—6.
WILLIAM SOUTHWELL,
Appointed 6th February, 1106.
Tus officer entered the army previous to the Revolution in
1688, and rose to the rank of major in the regiment which is
now the Sixtu foot. He served in the expedition to Cadiz and
at the storming of the forts at Vigo, in 1702; and was pro-
moted to the lieut.-colonelcy in 1703. He commanded the re-
giment in the expedition under the Earl of Peterborough, in
1705 ; and his distinguished conduct at the siege of Barcelona
(as narrated in the record of the Sixt foot) was rewarded
with the colonelcy of the regiment. He afterwards served in
Catalonia and Valencia; but retired in 1708. In 1714 he
was appointed commandant of the company of foot-guards
armed with battle-axes, and instituted for the guard of the
lord-lieutenant of Ireland.
THOMAS HARRISON,
Appointed 14th June, 1708.
Tuomas Harrison served under King William in the Nether-
lands, and, during the war of the Spanish succession, he was
adjutant-general to the British forces in Spain. He was pro-
moted to the rank of colonel in the army on the 6th of February,
1106, and was rewarded with the colonelcy of the Sixra foot
in June, 1708. He was sent to England with the news of the
victory at Saragossa in 1710; and after the peace of Utrecht
he was employed on the staff of the army in South Britain.
ROBERT DORMER,
Appointed V1h March, 1'116.
AFTER serving many years in the life-guards, and rising to the
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 109
rank of lieut.-colonel of the first troop (now first regiment),
Robert Dormer was promoted by King George I. to the colo-
nelcy of the Sixtu regiment of foot, which he retained four
years,
JAMES DORMER,
Appointed 9th April, 17120.
James Dormer entered the army in 1701, and while serving
under the celebrated John Duke of Marlborough was pro-
moted to the rank of colonel in the army in 1707, and to that
of brigadier-general in 1711. After the decease of Lord Mo-
hun, who was killed in a duel with the Duke of Hamilton, Bri-
gadier-General Dormer was appointed colonel of his Lordship’s
regiment of foot. This corps was, however, disbanded at the
peace of Utrecht ; and in 1715 he was commissioned by King
George I. to raise, form, and discipline a regiment of dragoons
(now the fourteenth light dragoons) ; from which he was re-
moved, in 1720, to the Sixtn foot. In 1727 he was promoted
to the rank of major-general, and in 1735 to that of lieut.-gene-
ral. In 1738 he was removed to the first troop of horse grena-
dier guards, the command of which troop he retained until his
decease in 1742.
JOHN GUISE,
Appointed 1st November, 1738.
Joun Guise obtained a practical knowledge of the profession
of arms in the wars of Queen Anne; he served many years in
the first foot guards, and was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy
of that regiment in 1736. In 1738 King George II. rewarded
him with the colonelcy of the StxtH foot. In 1739 he was
promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, in 1742 to that of
major-general, in 1745 to that of lieut.-general, and in 1762 to
that of general. He held the appointment of governor of Ber-
wick severa] years ; and died in June, 1765.
WILLIAM RUFANE,
Appointed 14th June, 1165.
Wituiam Ruranr entered the army in 1721, and served many
110 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
years in the twenty-fourth regiment of foot, of which corps he
was appointed major in 1741, and lieut.-colonel in 1751. On
the 16th of January, 1761, he was appointed colonel of the
seventy-sixth foot, then newly raised; and he served under
Lieut.-General Hodgson, at the capture of Belle Isle, and
highly distinguished himself. He also served in the West
Indies, and was promoted to the rank of major- general on the
10th of July, 1762. In 1763 his regiment was disbanded ;
and in 1765 King George III. gave him the colonelcy of the
Sixtu foot. He was promoted to the rank of lieut.-general in
May, 1772, and died in February following.
JOHN GORE,
Appointed 19th February, 1773.
Tue early services of this officer were in the third regiment
of Foot Guards, in which corps he was appointed captain and
lieut.-colonel in 1750, first major in 1760, and lieut.-colonel in
1761. In 1762 he was promoted to the rank of major-
genera! ; in 1768 he obtained the colonelcy of the sixty-first
regiment; in 1772 he was advanced to the rank of lieut.-
general, and in February of the following year he was removed
to the colonelcy of the SrxtH Foot. He died in November,
1773.
SIR WILLIAM BOOTHBY, BARONET,
Appointed 18th November, 1713.
Havine entered the army in the reign of King George II,
Sir William Boothby served with reputation several years, and
was promoted on the 19th of March, 1750, to the lieutenant-
colonelcy of the thirtieth foot. In 1760 he succeeded General
Watson in the colonelcy of the sixty-third regiment, was pro-
moted to the rank of major-general in 1762, was removed io
the fiftieth regiment in 1764, and to the SixtH Foot in 1773 ;
the command of which corps he retained until his decease on
the 15th of April, 1787.
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THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT.
LANCELOT BAUGH,
Appointed 18th April, 1187.
Tus officer served many years in the first foot guards, in
which regiment he was appointed lieutenant and captain in
1747, and captain and lieut.-colonel in 1758. In 1771 he
was promoted to the rank of colonel, in 1777 to that of major-
general, and in 1779 to that of lieut.-general. The colonelcy
of the Sixrn Foot was conferred by King George III. on
LLieut.-General Baugh in 1787; and he retained this appoint-
ment until his decease in April, 1792.
SIR RALPH ABERCROMBY, K.B.,
Appointed 26th April, 17192.
Tus distinguished officer commenced his military career as
cornet in the third dragoo.. guards in 1756; in 1762 he was
appointed captain in the third horse (now sixth dragoon
guards), and was promoted to the lieut.-colonelcy of the regi-
ment in 1773. Under his vigilant care and attention to all
the duties of commanding officer, his regiment became distin-
guished as an efficient cavalry corps; and he was rewarded
with the rank of colonel in the army in 1780; in the follow-
ing year he was appointed colonel of the 103d regiment, or
King’s Irish infantry, which corps was disbanded at the peace
in 1783. In 1787 he was promoted to the rank of major-
general; and in September, 1790, he was appointed colovel
of the sixty-ninth regiment, from which he was removed in
1792 to the SrxtH foot.
On the breaking out of the war with France in 1793, he was
promoted to the local rank of lieut.-general on the continent,
and he held a command under the Duke of York, in Flanders.
In this service he highly signalized himself, and his conduct
was spoken of in the warmest terms of commendation in his
Royal Highness’s despatches; particularly his gallantry at the
battle of Cateau on the 26th of April, 1794, and in the general
attack made on the French posts on the 17th of May follow-
112 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
ing. He also took an active and distinguished part in con-
ducting the unfortunate retreat through Holland, and was
wounded before Nimeguen on the 27th of October, 1794.
Shortly after his return to England he was sent with an
expedition to the West Indies, to complete the deliverance of
the French West India islands from the power of the repub-
lican government, and to reduce to obedience the insurgents
in the islands of St. Vincent and Grenada. In this service
he had distinguished success: he took Grenada — obtained
possession of the settlements of Demarara and Essequibo—
completed the capture of St. Lucia and St. Vincent — and
afterwards reduced the Spanish colony in the island of Tri-
nidad, and placed it under the dominion of the British crown.
In the mean time he had been appointed to the colonelcy of
the Princess Royal’s dragoon guards, and created a Knight
of the Bath ; and in November, 1796, he was removed to the
command of the Scots Greys. His distinguished merit was
also rewarded with the appointment of lieut.-governor of the
Isle of Wight, and the government of Forts George and Au-
gustus.
In 1799 he was selected to command the first division of
the Anglo-Russian army destined to attempt the deliverance
of Holland from the power of France; and in effecting a land-
ing on the 27th of August,—in repulsing the troops assembled
to oppose him,—and in gaining possession of the forts of the
Helder, which was followed by the surrender of the Dutch
fleet, he evinced the abilities of a consummate general and the
valour of a hero. He was also successful in the action of the
Zyp on the 10th of September. After the arrival of the Duke
of York he commanded a division under His Royal Highness
with reputation; and in the accounts of the engagements
which followed, his conduct was mentioned in terms of the
highest praise.
After his retv:n from Holland he was appointed to the
command of an expedition sent into the Mediterranean. He
captured Malta, and appeared before Cadiz ; but an epidemic
disease raging in the city at the time, the attempt on this
THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. 113
fortress was desisted in for fear of infection. He subsequently
directed his course towards Egypt, with the view of driving
the French army from that country; and while the fleet
anchored in the bay of Marmorice, in Asiatic Turkey, he
arranged a plan of co-operation with the Turks. In February,
1801, he again put to sea, and on the 8th of March he effected
a landing in the bay of Aboukir, and defeated a body of French
troops. On the 13th he drove the French from their position
beyond Mandora Tower, on which occasion he had a horse
shot under him; and on the 19th Fort Aboukir capitulated.
On the 21st of the same month he repulsed a furious attack
of the enemy on the position which he occupied near Alex-
andria, and during the action he received a mortal wound
which deprived his king and country of his most valuable
services. He appears to have been wounded in the early part
of the day, but continued in the field giving his orders with
that coolness and perspicuity which had ever marked his
character, till after the action was over, when he fainted
through weakness and lose of blood, and died on the 28th of
March, 1801.
Thus fell one of the most honourable military men whose
lives have been commemorated in history. His character was
held up to the admiration of the army in general orders, in
which it was observed,—* The illustrious example of their
‘* commander cannot fail to have made an indelible impression
“on the gallant troops, at whose head, crowned with victory
“and glory, he terminated his honourable career; and His
“* Majesty trusts that a due contemplation of the talents and
“ virtues, which he uniformly displayed in the course of his
“ valuable :ife, will for ever endear the memory of Sir Ra.pu
‘“¢ ABERCROMBY to the British army. His steady observance
“ of discipline,—his ever-watchful attention to the health and
“ wants of his troops,—the persevering and unconquerable
* spirit which marked his military career,—the splendour of
“his actions in the field,—and the heroism of his death,—are
** worthy the imitation of all who desire, like him, a life of
“honour and a death of glory,”
114 SUCCESSION OF COLONELS OF
PRINCE WILLIAM FREDERICK OF GLOUCESTER,
Appointed 4th November, 1795.
Prince WiLu1amM Freperick, only son of William Henry
Duke of Gloucester, third son of Frederick Prince of Wales,
was born at Rome in 1776. His first commission was that of
captain and lieut.-colonel in the first foot guards, and was
dated the 11th of March, 1789. He held also the rank of
colonel in the army. In March, 1794, he proceeded to Flan-
ders to join his company in the first battalion first foot
guards, and having a letter of service as colonel on the staff,
and to do duty with the army as a general officer, he was ap-
pointed to the command of a brigade of infantry of the line,
under his Royal Highness the Duke of York. In the general
attack of the French positions preparatory to the siege of Lan-
drecies, he we ©s.ployed in the column under Sir William
Erskine, and +’... :d and carried the village of Premont and
the wood on its left, for which he was thanked on the field.
In the following month he was appointed colonel of the
hundred and fifteenth regiment, then first raised; but he
continued to serve with the army commanded by the Duke of
York during the remainder of that campaign.
In February, 1795, his Highness was promoted to the rank
of major-general, and in November following he obtained the
colonelcy of the Sixt regiment of foot. When the attempt
was made in 1799 to rescue Holland from the power of France,
Prince William Frederick was appointed to the command of a
brigade in the Anglo-Russian army commanded by his Royal
Highness the Duke of York. In the action of the 19th of
September he supported the Russians. Having re-captured
the village of Schorel and the wood skirting the village, he
pursued the enemy up the sand-hills, and drove them back
upon Bergen; and when the army fell back he made good
his retreat, bringing off his guns, ammunition, and wounded
men in the face of the enemy. On the 24th of September he
relieved the reserve, occupying the advanced posts on the left ;
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THE SIXTH REGI**ENT OF FOOT.
115
and on the 4th of October he made a rapid advance to Scher-
merhorn, and obtained possession of three of the enemy’s
guns. On the 6th he fell back to his former position, and
sustained for some time the attack of a body of the enemy of
very superior numbers. When ordered to withdraw, he
effected his retreat without loss. His Highness’s brigade was
also engaged on the 10th of October, and remained in front
of the enemy until the army withdrew from Holland. His
gallant conduct was rewarded with the rank of lieut.-general
on the 13th of November, 1799. He was employed as lieut.-
general upon the staff of Great Britain, and had the command
of the north-west district from July, 1803, to May, 1807.
On the decease of his father in 1805 he succeeded to the
title of Dux or Gioucester. In May, 1806, he was re-
moved to the colonelcy of the third foot guards, and was
promoted to the rank of general on the 25th of April, 1808.
His Royal Highness was further advanced to the rank of field-
marshal on the 24th of May, 1816. He was governor of
Portsmouth, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter,
Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of the Bath, and
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order.
He was a munificent patron of many public charities; and
his universal benevolence wus the subject of great praise. He
died in December, 1834.
SIR GEORGE NUGENT, BARONET, G.C.B.
Appointed 26th May, 1806.
London: Printed by W. Crowes and Sons, Stamford Street.
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